


Wallets and Waistbands

by severelydorky



Category: Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Panic! at the Disco
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-14
Updated: 2017-03-14
Packaged: 2018-03-01 10:09:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 23,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2769164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/severelydorky/pseuds/severelydorky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dallon can't have anything go his way. His already shitty day turns worse when he's beat up in a grocery store parking lot by trying to save Brendon, a stranger, from getting his wallet stolen. After a hectic trip to the hospital, the boys get to know each other and find that they have more in common than it seems. As time goes by, crazy antics, band meetings, and a red-haired lesbian get jumbled into the mix of Dallon and Brendon's lives. Where they go from that fateful day is only up to them.</p><p>AU: "I tried to rescue you from being mugged but instead I got knocked out and you had to take me to the hospital after having your wallet stolen"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Shittiest Day So Far

Dallon's POV

“Thank you for shopping at Safeway.” “Yeah fuck you.”

The automated self-service register at the grocery store was not the only thing that had annoyed me that day. The list of events preceding my difficult transaction that required the help of two different employees was as long as my arm. I woke up to find that I was out of cereal, all the machines at the Laundromat were taken, the guitar shop where I was supposed to pick up my new bass was closed, and to top it off, my mom called me to tell me that she knew the perfect girl for me. The last part would’ve been fine if I hadn’t come out to her as gay a week and a half ago and she wasn't in complete denial.

“Dallon sweetheart,” she began the conversation. “I know that you’ve said all those things not too long ago, but I just met the prettiest girl at my Pilates class, and I think she’ll be perfect for you.” “Mom I-“ I tried to interject, but she kept going. “Her name is Brenda, she’s got long red hair and freckles, and she plays guitar in a band! Isn’t that exciting?”

I had had enough with this shit from her for the past however long it had been. “Mom, if you like her so much,” I started, “why don’t you go fuck her?” 

“Dallon James Weekes, how dare you say such a thing to me?” she practically screamed. But I wasn’t going to let her finish, “I don’t want you to ever set me up with a girl ever again, Mom, because I like to suck dick. Unless you’ve got a date with Tom Daley lined up, I don’t care.” That’s where I left the call. She tried to call me six times after that, but finally gave up when she got the message.

I put on my sunglasses that were awfully large for my face and headed toward the bus stop. I couldn’t think of a better way to end the day if the bus was la-

“Somebody HELP!” I whipped around to see that a man with glasses about four spots down the lot was struggling with what appeared to be a massive woman taking his wallet. Even though my day had been far from great, I felt the need to step in. I was at least her height, so I could take her for sure.

I ran over and stepped between the two of them, placing my arm over this guy’s chest. “Hey,” I managed with fake confidence, “Give that back now, or I-I’ll fight you.” Not a moment after saying that was I on the ground being kicked repeatedly in the gut by this insanely large woman. I don’t know what happened to the guy whose wallet it was, but I knew that this wasn’t gonna end well. 

She gave me a chance to stand up, but as soon as I was able to get to my feet, I was knocked back down again. My eyes were swollen from getting hit so many times, my stomach felt as though it was concave, and the skin on my arms had been scratched painfully by the asphalt I embraced so many times. I got another chance to stand up, and as I did so, I saw the wallet guy running back with what seemed like help of sorts, and that’s all I remembered before I blacked out completely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATE: I needed to edit a tiny piece of info about Dallon's mode of transportation to make it make more sense. Please remember this is a work in progress. Thank you!


	2. Getting To Know Dallon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brendon finally chats with Dallon after all the craziness that's happened that day.

Brendon’s POV

I actually couldn’t believe what had happened. Out of nowhere, this guy tried to defend me, but in the process, he had gotten himself badly injured and knocked out. I ran inside while he was still fighting this gigantic woman who had taken my wallet because I thought I could get help. When I came outside, it was too late, because I saw him get knocked out with one right hook.

The woman ran away I had no chance of catching up to her. “Fuck.” Thankfully, I still had my phone, so I called an ambulance because whoever this guy was, he was stone cold out. After what seemed like forever and a few examinations made by an elderly doctor who had been near by, the ambulance showed up and they rushed to get him inside. I asked if I was able to ride in the ambulance with him, but the EMT said I had to be family. In the moment, I had decided to say, “I’m his boyfriend, so please let me go with him.” 

Once I was finally allowed to come with, we all piled into the ambulance. While on the way to the hospital, it had looked like the mystery guy had opened his eyes for just a mere moment to look at me before blacking out again. I had sincerely hoped that he was going to be okay. Once we finally arrived, he was rolled into a back room, and I was required to stay outside and wait.

The waiting was tedious. It felt like there weren’t enough magazines in world, let alone the hospital waiting room, for me to be kept entertained in the slightest. After about forty-five minutes, they said I could come back to visit, but due to all the beating, he was concussed and had a sprained wrist.

I was let into mystery guy’s room, and we were alone. He was asleep on the hospital bed, but I was told it was okay to go and talk to him. He began to blink as I sat in a chair next to him, and he finally awakened. “Hey there,” I said simply. It took him a minute to realize where he was, but once he did, he asked groggily, “How did I get here?”

“Well,” I started, “I was getting mugged by some amazon lady when you, the brave hero, ran in and took her on. She unfortunately kicked your ass into next week, so you blacked out and got a concussion before I was able to get help. So I called an ambulance, and they brought you here. I mean, I came along for the ride and to see that you were gonna be okay, but yeah. If you don’t know, you’ve got a concussion and sprained your wrist, which I know sucks, so I’m sorry ‘bout that.”

After a moment of silence in which I think this guy was processing all I had said, he finally said, “Did you get your wallet back?” At that I giggled, but smiled sadly because I had to tell him, “No, uh, unfortunately I didn’t.”

That caused Mystery Man’s face to fall. “Y’know, I thought was gonna do something good to make my already crappy day better, but no, I had to go and get beat up by a chick for pretty much nothing.” He slid further down into the bed and crossed his arms.

I felt so bad for him. I had no idea as to what was going on with him that made him so upset, but I’m sure it really sucked. “I’m really sorry,” I tried. “Whatever, thanks for saving me, I guess,” he replied unenthusiastically.

After a moment of silence, I finally asked what his name was. I might as well know the name of my knight in shining armor. “Dallon,” he said, “Dallon Weekes.” 

“Well I’m Brendon, Brendon Urie,” I replied. I pushed my glasses further up the bridge of my nose and continued, “Can I get you a lift home? You should be out of here by the end of today.”

Dallon thought over it for a second and said, “Yeah actually, could you do that? That would be so cool if you did.” After a second he added, “I mean, I don't have a car, and the stupid bus is so incredibly unreliable...” and then trailed off. I thought about what he said for a while. This poor guy was having a really rough time not only with his poor transportation, but also with life in general, so I decided to do the noblest thing I could think of at that moment.

“Y’know,” I chimed in, “I’ll actually drive you wherever you need to until you’re better… If you want me to.”

“No offense… Brendon it was? But I’ll be fine,” he stated flatly. He tried to sit up, but by the look on his face, he seemed to be in excruciating pain. “Actually,” he continued, “I might take you up on that. I’m feeling pretty shitty, and if you really are willing to, I guess that would be okay… Even though I barely know you.”

Dallon was right. I barely knew him, but he needed help, and I wasn’t entirely sure if he had anyone who could help him. “Well maybe we could get to know each other some since we’ve got time.” And that is exactly what we did. 

I told him about my band that I along with a couple friends were trying (unsuccessfully) trying to get going, and he told me that he actually played guitar in a band of his own. He told me about why his day was “complete horse shit” as he described it, and I understood everything. He talked about his coming out to his family, and I actually talked about mine. I told him that me identifying as bisexual in my house did not go over well because they didn’t think that it was even a real sexuality. Him being so open with me and me being open with him felt fantastic. I wish it were that easy always. Through that and our whole conversation, I think we really began to know each other. Dallon was pretty cool, and he seemed like a really great guy that I’d like to get to know further.

By the time I was allowed to take Dallon home, it was getting pretty dark. On the way out, the nurse who had been helping Dallon said, “Hope you boys have a good night! You two make such a cute couple.” At that Dallon whizzed around to interject, but I made him turn back around and keep walking. Once we were outside I explained that I had to feign being in a relationship with him in order to come in the ambulance. I’m pretty sure that Dallon was a little weirded out by that, but he accepted it.

We actually had to walk to my car since we rode in the ambulance, so we walked for quite a while. After what seemed like an hour, we finally reached the car and set off to his house. Occasionally, Dallon would cringe because the light from the other cars was worsening his headaches. Even though he told me that I drive like a maniac a number of times, we made it to Dallon’s house alive.

I decided to be polite and show Dallon to the door. Before I forgot, I pulled out a marker from the glove box before following him to his house. Dallon pulled out his keys and said, “Well thanks for everything Brendon. You seem like a pretty chill guy.” I chuckled lightly. “You do too Mr. Dallon Weekes,” I replied, “Oh and here’s my number if you ever need a ride.” I pulled out my marker and grabbed his not sprained wrist and wrote it down. He smiled and thanked me again. I realized that Dallon was such a fascinating person, and I wanted to know him more. He intrigued me, and I must’ve come to the conclusion that I actually really liked him.

I finally said goodbye and turned away when I decided to turn back around again and say, “Wait.” Dallon hadn’t completely disappeared into his house yet, so he came back out and asked, “Yeah?”

“Umm,” I stuttered, “How about I get you dinner tomorrow? I want to thank you some other way than transportation.” Dallon paused a moment before stating, “But you got your wallet stolen, so that doesn’t seem fair. Plus you’ve done a lot already.”

“I’ve got all day tomorrow to figure out my finances, and I want to be nice, so there. Is 8 o’clock fine?” I was really impressed with myself. I knew within me that I liked him after all we’ve been though together, but I’ve never been this forward with a guy. Dallon laughed and said, “Yeah, all right fine. I’ll accept, but we better go some place nice.” With that, Dallon disappeared for the night.

That was a hell of a day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've accepted that these chapters are not going to be similar in length but okay.


	3. Pat's Acting Weird

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dallon gets ready for the day and for Brendon to pick him up, but Patrick is being really strange.

Dallon’s POV

I had disappeared behind my door and shuffled over to the window to watch Brendon leave. Why was he so nice to me? I had basically fucked up his day, but he still was really kind to me. It was kinda weird, especially because I didn’t deserve his compassion. Either way, I was grateful for his help, and he was a pretty cool guy, so I was glad to have him hang around for however long he will.

I climbed my stairs to my bedroom so I could get ready for bed. By the time I got upstairs, I had a searing headache. I tried to continue over to my room which was down the hall, but I had to sit down on the floor in the middle of the hallway like a fucking lame ass. That stupid bitch that knocked me out… This wasn’t the first time I got a concussion, and this wasn’t nearly as bad as the one I had before when I got hit in the head with a baseball during a little league game when I was seven. I hated baseball and that gave me even more reason to think so. Anyway, I knew I’d be okay within the week, but as of right now, my migraine was unbearable. I ended up laying in the fetal position in the hallway until I fell asleep.

I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing. I had been on the floor in my clothes from the day before for over fourteen hours, but my head felt better. It was 10:42 AM, and Patrick was calling me. “Shit,” I muttered. I was supposed to meet the guys at the Way brothers’ house almost an hour ago for rehearsal. 

“Hello?” I answered groggily. “Dude where are you? You were supposed to be here like forty-five minutes ago and the pizza is almost completely gone. What the hell?” questioned Pat. Clearly, he was annoyed. I sat up and put him on speaker. “I went to the hospital last night,” I stated while stretching my arms. I noticed Brendon’s number on my arm had a smiley face next to it. 

“Oh my god dude,” Patrick said worryingly, “What the fuck happened?” I didn’t want to admit to what happened, but he’s one of my best friends so I guess I could tell. “Well,” I began, “I tried to stop this… person… from stealing this guy’s wallet, and I got knocked out and I have a concussion.”

“Holy shit I had no idea,” Patrick said apologetically, “Do you want me to get you?” I was about to say yes, but I remembered that Brendon said he would drive me. Plus, I needed time to clean up, and asking Brendon to drive would give me enough time. Pat drives like a bat out of hell. “Nah man, thanks though,” I said, “I’m getting the dude who got his wallet stolen, Brendon, to drive me.” There was a beat of silence on the other line. “Oh okay then,” said Patrick, “See you soon then.” With that, he hung up immediately. I had no idea why he was being so weird.

I finally stood up and stretched out my body. Being curled up all night left me tight in my limbs and back. I fumbled over to my room where I proceeded to sit on my bed and pull up my sleeve far enough to see Brendon’s number. I dialed it into my phone, set it to speaker and laid my phone on my bedside table as I undressed for a shower.

On the third ring, he picked up. “This is Brendon,” he said. “Hey it’s Dallon, the guy who ruined your day yesterday,” I said jokingly. “Oh hey man,” Brendon replied, “And you totally did not ruin my day yesterday, it’s totally fine. What’s up?” 

“Do you think you could pick me up in half an hour? I have to go to band rehearsal,” I asked. I then offered, “If you’re free, you can hang out and meet the guys.” On the other line, there was an “umm” lasting about ten seconds. “I think I can, I have to pick up something from my office, but I can be there in like… 40 minutes? Is that okay? I’d love to meet your friends.”

I thanked him profusely, and he said it was no problem and that it was the least he could do. After hanging up, I realized that he was a really good person. And he was pretty chill. I felt like we’d be good friends despite the strange way we met. 

I finally stepped into the shower and washed off the smell which was a cross of hospital and disease. I took the obligatory fifteen out of twenty minutes it takes me to get ready just on hair, and I got dressed and went downstairs because I was starving. I was going to eat last night but I didn’t want hospital food and I passed out too early after getting home. I decided to text Pat to see if Brendon could stay since I kinda invited him without asking the others. 

“hey can brendon watch us rehearse”  
“I guess so, but why?”  
“idk he’s cool and i think you and the guys will like him”  
“Whatever, that’s fine. Just get here ASAP. The pizza is gone.”

Pat only texted like an English major when he was upset. I was going to ask him in person what his deal was. He was being really weird, and I didn’t like his snarky attitude. 

Right on time, Brendon pulled up to the house. From my living room, I could see he was dressed really well. It also looked like he took forever to do his hair. Maybe even longer than me. He rang the doorbell, and I opened the door for him. “Hi!” he said excitedly. “Hey Brendon, come on in for a second, I have to grab my guitar,” I told him as I ushered him in. I walked over to the closet, and grabbed my instrument. From the other room, I could hear Brendon remark, “You have a really nice house. My shitty apartment is nothing compared to this.” I slipped on my shoes, grabbed my jacket, and thanked him for the compliment. 

“You ready to go?” he asked. I nodded. “Let’s go then! I can’t wait,” he said like an excited puppy. I locked up, and we headed over to Way household.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm hoping to post more often. :D Also next chapter we meet the Way brothers and Patrick (officially).


	4. Meet the Guys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brendon finally gets to meet Dallon's friends and bandmates, but they all aren't as welcoming as expected.

Brendon’s POV

On the drive over to Dallon’s friend’s house, I could tell that being in the car was doing anything but helping his concussion. “Hey are you feeling all right?” I asked when we pulled up to a stop light. “Yeah,” he said unsure, “I’m kinda getting a headache.”

“Well, don’t worry,” I reassured, “we’ll be there soon enough.” And as I promise, two minutes later, we pulled up to the house. Dallon told me that this was the house of brothers Gerard and Mikey. It was a split-level rambler with black shutters and a bright red door. In the front of the house was a massive tree that, from the street, covered half the house. I got out and opened the door for Dallon, who said it wasn’t necessary that I do that, but I wanted to anyway. When we walked up to the house, I heard glass shatter and someone scream “WHAT THE FUCK DUDE!” Honestly, it was a little off-putting, but it didn’t seem to bother Dallon. Without knocking, he opened the door.

Inside the house, I saw a fairly vacant living room with only a sofa, a coffee table, a drum set, amps, and other musical equipment; a path to a filthy kitchen with a fire truck red-haired man scrubbing dishes furiously; and stairs to the upper and lower levels of the house. Immediately, Dallon placed his guitar next to the couch and proceeded to sit down.

“Hey fuckers! Get in here!” yelled Dallon over the craziness in the kitchen. Two men appeared from the kitchen: the red-haired man, who looked frustrated and slightly sweaty, and another, taller, skinnier guy with blond hair. “Hello. Welcome to our humble, noisy, disgusting home,” said the red-haired man, exasperated. “My name is Gerard, and this is my klutz of a little brother, Mikey. Please feel free to sit, stand, take a shit in the yard, eat anything you find as long as it isn’t moving, and ransack my sock drawer. I really don’t give a fuck at this point.” I knew then and there that I was going to like Dallon’s friends.

“Hi!” I introduced myself, “I’m Brendon, a friend of Dallon’s, it’s nice to meet you guys.” I put out a hand to be shaken, but neither Gerard nor Mikey accepted it. “To be completely and utterly honest,” started Mikey, “our hands are nasty and you have no idea where they have been, so I wouldn’t.” Behind me, I could hear Dallon trying to hold back a laugh.

“Oh umm,” I stumbled, “okay then.” These guys were grimy, brutally honest, yet exciting, and these were the people with whom I hoped to become good friends. I decided to plant myself on the couch next to Dallon. There was a brief moment of silence before I decided to say, “I really like your place.”

Gerard scoffed, and Mikey full out laughed. “That’s really funny,” said Mikey. The two brothers returned to the kitchen, and Gerard called to me saying, “If you want to take a broom to this place, be prepared to find stuff that shouldn’t even exist.”

I could hear Mikey ask Gerard a question: “Are we going to tell him about the cockroach who had a baby with the rat and now their hybrid baby is living-“ “NO we aren’t.” Gerard looked around the corner at us with slight concern before retreating back again. 

Suddenly a short man with blond hair, a fedora, and glasses was standing in front of the stairs. It was eerie how he had almost appeared there, but I stood up to introduce myself. “Hi, I’m Brendon, nice to meet you,” I said while standing. The guy gave me a once over before putting out his hand and saying, “Patrick, nice to meet you.” He did not seem that enthusiastic about making my acquaintance. 

“Hey Pat, play nice,” called Dallon. Patrick slid past me to sit next to Dallon, and from the kitchen was a “FUCK, Mikey that hurt!” The whole time, Patrick’s face was stone cold and unchanging. I decided to sit next to Patrick, but he spread himself out so that I wouldn’t fit. So, I decided to sit on the armrest on Dallon’s side. This guy didn’t like me, and I had no idea why.

“So Brendon,” said Patrick, interrupting the moment of tense silence, “You were Dallon’s knight in shining armor yesterday, hmm?” I adjusted my seating position because my butt was falling asleep and then replied, “Umm not quite, Dallon actually was the one trying to retrieve my wallet from some huge –“ Dallon looked to me in a way that clearly showed how he didn’t want Patrick to know it was a woman “—umm, guy who looked like a UFC fighter and I just helped him get to the hospital after sustaining injuries.”

“Well, aren’t you a good citizen,” remarked Patrick. I couldn’t help but think that he was intentionally snarky. Dallon seemed to be pissed off because he turned to face Patrick and asked, “Really dude? I could’ve just been left there, and you decide to be an asshole about him being there for me?” The room was unbearably silent for a good minute, and I was very uncomfortable, especially since I had lost all feeling in my butt at that point. Patrick finally spoke: “I don’t really think it’s something so noteworthy that he called 911. Any decent human being could do that. Also why didn’t you call someone who’s your friend rather than some stranger? I would’ve been there in a second if you would’ve called.”

“You know what,” started Dallon, “I’m sorry I didn’t call, I didn’t realize you were even more clingy than my mother and you had to make sure I was okay every time something happened.”

“You’re my best friend and that’s what friends DO Dallon. You’re being the biggest asshole ever by suddenly replacing me with your new best friend Brian!”

“Umm,” I interjected, “my name is Brendon.” Patrick looked at me in a way that could only be described as the love child of disgust and astonishment. “How dare you have the gall to even speak to me you fucking cock nozzle!” I didn’t know whether to laugh at the name he just called me or be offended, but he was acting rather rudely considering I haven’t done anything.

Clearly Dallon was extremely offended. “Do you mind if I talk to you alone, Patrick?” he asked in a way that was much more commanding than a typical question. Without a response, Patrick stood up and stormed into the downstairs room. Once Patrick was out of sight, Dallon stood up and said, “I’m so sorry about how he’s acting, this isn’t how he usually is. I’m going to talk to him about it.” I stood up to meet him and replied, “Hey no worries, I’m not concerned.” Dallon shook his head. “I’m not okay with him talking to you like that, so I’m gonna fix it.” With that, he headed downstairs, and a moment later, I heard a door slam.

I walked into the kitchen so that I wouldn’t be alone in the living room. Gerard was now wiping down the counter, which had coffee stains and at least four empty pizza boxes, and Mikey was eating a family-sized bag of Doritos. Gerard glanced in my direction and said while continuing his work, “I don’t know why Pat’s like that, but I wouldn’t worry.” I trusted in what he said and grabbed some paper towels to help him clean. “Hey Mikey, I don’t even know this guy and he’s helping, so why don’t you get off your ass and help for once, would you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summer is coming which hopefully means more chapters. :)


	5. Confrontations and Surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dallon sorts things out with Patrick, Gerard gives up, and Brendon surprises everyone.

Dallon’s POV

I slammed the door to the basement and flipped on the light. “Okay man, what the fuck is wrong with you?” Patrick just crumpled into a chair and covered his eyes with his hands. A muffled “I don’t know” came from him. I sat on the bed and forced him to look at me. I straightened my back and calmly proceeded: “You need to tell me why you are being such an asshole to Brendon. That was completely uncool of you. He did nothing wrong and you are the only one acting strange about him coming over. So what’s the deal?” 

Patrick stood up and paced the room. “I felt threatened,” was all he said. “But why? Would you have really wanted to be there for me when I got hurt?” Patrick didn’t look at me, but he nodded. He finally spoke up a moment later: “You’re my best friend Dallon, and I’m so sorry that this happened to you and I’m sorry I’m being a dick. It’s just that… umm… I felt bad that you couldn’t trust me to be there yet you let this stranger help you.”

“I had no idea Pat, I just got caught up in being HURT and all, y’know?” I didn’t realize that that so easily hurt him. After a moment of silence, I finally added, “I’m sorry about everything, you’re my best friend too Pat, but please don’t take it out on Brendon, he’s a nice guy and I really think you’d like him if you got to know him.” Patrick nodded and I opened my arms for a hug. Patrick reluctantly came in, and the hug lasted a solid half a minute. I had no idea he would be this upset about it; I hoped that there wasn’t something else, something worse, behind his feelings. “I’m gonna apologize,” Pat finally said. I nodded and opened the door for him to head upstairs.

When we finally made it upstairs, I saw Mikey sitting on the coffee table, Brendon sitting on the couch, and Gerard still in the kitchen. “For fucks sake Gee, would you sit down? You’re making me anxious,” I called. “I’m NOT going to rest until this place is SPOTLESS, and I’m NOT joking this time,” he replied. I sat next to Brendon and quietly told him, “Gerard sometimes gets these fits where he wants to clean his house but it lasts less than a day, and he returns to not caring about this dump.” Gerard’s head peered around the corner, and he simply said, “I heard that, asshole.” At that I couldn’t help but laugh.

I turned toward Pat and gave him a nod affirming that he could talk to Brendon. “Brendon,” he began after a long sigh, “I’m sorry I was such a dick, I had no reason to bark at you like that because you did nothing wrong. I felt bad that I couldn’t be there for Dallon in his time of need is all. I hope this doesn’t put a damper on our potential friendship.” I could tell when Patrick is lying through his teeth, but in this moment, this was the most genuine I’ve ever seen him. 

“Hey, you know what,” said Brendon, “it’s all good man, no worries.” The biggest smile appeared on Brendon’s face, and he stood up and hugged him. I swear, this guy was the human embodiment of a puppy. “Oh umm,” said the slightly surprised Patrick while being hugged, “thank you so much, I’m not usually like that.” 

“Don’t worry, people have their off days,” Brendon said happily. He really was truly a kind and caring person, and in that moment, I was glad I knew him. I needed positivity like that, especially now. 

Patrick was in the process of sitting down next to Brendon on the sofa when Gerard suddenly appeared from the kitchen. He walked over toward us while throwing a towel over his shoulder. “I’ve given up,” he admitted, “I don’t care enough; I’ll wait another week.” I sat on the armrest and leaned over to Brendon to say, “What did I tell you.”

“Hey I heard that dickhead,” Gerard told me as he flopped down next to Mikey on the coffee table. I couldn’t tell if he knocked over a mug or not, but either way it didn’t really matter. 

Now that everyone had settled and that no one was going to murder each other with used plastic forks, it was time to actually rehearse something. “Well,” I interjected into the beginning of an awkward moment of silence, “why don’t we rehearse? It’s about time we did something moderately productive, huh?” Each of my band members silently responded in their own way. Mikey stood up reluctantly and ran to his room for his bass. Gerard pushed the red fringe out of his face and nodded while standing. Patrick stood up with a lack of emotion that would frighten anyone who couldn’t recognize it as “getting in the zone” mode.

Brendon poked my arm and asked, “Do you think you’ll be able to play even though your wrist is sprained?” I looked at my right wrist and figured it wouldn’t cause me problems. I mean, I can bear through a little pain if any. “Don’t worry,” I reassured, “I’ll be fine. I mean, it’s my right wrist, so I just have to strum. No problem.”

I pulled my guitar out of its case and set it on my shoulder. After hooking up to my designated amp, I pulled out a pick and a capo. My guitar needed extra tuning, so my band mates were waiting for me to start. “Hey pretty boy, can we get going please?” Gerard requested in the most sarcastic tone he could muster. “Give me a minute would you, fire truck?” I always called him that because I knew how much it would piss him off. It pissed him off enough to stay silent after that. “Okay, let’s go.” 

Patrick, at the drums, tapped his drumsticks together four times, and we all came in. We always did a cover of blink-182’s “Rock Show” as a warm up. A measure in, my wrist hurt like hell, and I had to stop. The song fell apart soon after. “Dude, what are you doing?” asked Patrick slightly annoyed. He then glanced at my wrist and knew what was up. “Well, I guess rehearsal is over then, if you can’t play.” He was more disappointed than anything else since he loved playing more than anything else.

“Umm,” Brendon muttered out of nowhere, “I could play for him.” All of the guys were surprised. After noticing their looks, Brendon continued: “I play guitar, and I have been for quite a while, and I actually know the chords to ‘Rock Show’. If you don’t mind, I could play.” The guys looked at each other and communicated silently. Patrick wasn’t thrilled, but both of the Way brothers were up for it. “Let’s go for it,” Mikey exclaimed in the most chill way possible.

I was all right with it, so I handed the guitar to Brendon. I gave him a quick “be careful with her” glance as he rested the guitar on his shoulder. Patrick scanned the room to make sure that everyone was ready and tapped his drumsticks together once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be more to come soon enough. :D


	6. Bandmates and Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Exciting things and Dallon gets deep.

Brendon’s POV

We all started playing, and everyone sounded really great. I was really impressed with Gerard’s voice in particular. Also I had made a mental note to ask Dallon where he got such a nice guitar. Since I knew the song pretty well, I added riffs to make it more interesting. After the song was over, the rest of the guys just stared at me.

“You told me you played guitar,” remarked Dallon, breaking the silence, “but you never mentioned you were that good.” I really didn’t understand what he meant, but before I could say anything Mikey interjected: “Yeah man, that was freaking awesome.”

I felt my face go pink, and I smiled. “Thank you guys a lot, I really appreciate it.” Out of nowhere, Gerard started slow clapping. He had been frozen in shock since the song ended, but he then came over and gave me a hug. While he hugged me he whispered in my ear, “Please don’t leave us.” It was kinda weird, but I was okay with it. 

When he broke the hug, Gerard vocalized to everyone what he just said to me: “He should totally join the band right?” Everyone took a moment to think about Gerard’s proposition. I think it would be okay if I joined, but I think the guys in my other band would be kinda pissy. Then again, the band hadn’t gone anywhere in like three months, so I didn’t really know what they’d think. Dallon didn’t seem apposed to my joining, and neither did Mikey. I looked over to Patrick for approval, but it appeared that he wasn’t fond of my joining.

“I really don’t know if that’s a good idea,” he finally said, breaking the brief silence, “I mean, we’ve GOT a guitar player, do we really need another one?” Dallon was going to make a face to Patrick, but Patrick interjected, “I mean, no offense, you’re one of the best guitarists I’ve ever seen, but I just don’t know how it would fit.”

Gerard was having none of it. “Oh please Patty, oh please please puh-LEASE let him join. He’s just so magnificent and handsome and talented. Please let him join.” During his pleading, Gerard walked over to Patrick behind the drums and got down on his knees. I guess Gerard had a flare for the dramatic. He wouldn’t stop pleading until Patrick was thoroughly annoyed. “Would you cut it out?”

Dallon shuffled over to Pat to add his two cents. “Pat, he’s so talented, don’t you think another guitar could add so much to our sound?” From across the room, without looking back, Mikey added, “Yeah.” Dallon continued after the brief interruption saying, “Plus we need someone to fill in for me while my wrist is still fucked up.” Again, without looking, Mikey commented, “Yeah.”

Everyone looked at Patrick, and after he realized, it made him slightly uncomfortable and pressured. “Ugh, all right, fine, he can stay. But he better start coming up with some killer riffs ASAP.” I was very excited at the new possibilities with these crazy guys. Gerard was absolutely over the moon and almost tackled me when he came in for a bear hug. Mikey turned his head slightly to witness his brother attacking me, and he commented, “Clearly he likes you a lot, so let’s hope he doesn’t start humping your leg.”  


Gerard acted like he didn’t think it was funny, but he stifled a giggle. “Well fellas,” Dallon interjected, “We ought to teach him some of our stuff, shouldn’t we?” In their own ways, they all agreed: Gerard excitedly, Mikey coolly, and Patrick reluctantly. I couldn’t be more grateful. “Thank you guys so much for letting me join,” I said, “I really appreciate it, and I can’t wait to dive in.”

~

After an excellent rehearsal, I drove Dallon home. It was mostly silent for the first few minutes of the ride, and seeing that I prefer conversation, I started with small talk. “Your friends are really great.” Dallon smiled and replied, “Yeah well, if you can handle their crazy, then you’re good to go.” It then fell silent again. Dallon wasn’t uncomfortable, but I was starting to be. “Soooooooooo Dallon,” I began. “Yeeeeeeeeeees Brendon?” he asked.

It took me a second to think of something to say. “Umm,” I stuttered. “Well, I really like your house. It’s really big and pretty fancy.” I certainly pulled that one out of my ass. It was true: his house was excellent, and it was almost strange that a bachelor like him lived in such a huge, not to mention gorgeous and well-kept place. When I asked him about it, he sighed heavily. “Are you ready for a huge backstory?” he asked me. I nodded and kept driving.

“Well it’s my childhood home. My dad was the CFO of his own construction business, and he was raking it in his whole life. I never had any siblings, so I was pretty much spoiled as a child, including the house. I still am, because they treat me like a child. My parents are much older, so it eventually got to the point where after college, after I moved back home; they felt the need to downsize. They didn’t really like the idea of just giving up the house, so they let me keep it to myself. They figured that I was going to have a big Mormon house filled with tons of kids by now, like they had wanted, but I severely disappointed them with the y’know gay as fuck thing. They haven’t taken the house from me yet, which is good. They might soon though if I don’t get a job. I’ve been unemployed for three months, and it’s been so difficult to get a job.” At that Dallon paused for a moment before continuing. “I’m scared to find one, because it’s not hard to just live off of family money. I need to be independent though. I’ve been trying to prove to my parents for my whole life that I could be independent of them, but right now, I’m proving myself wrong.” He looked down. “I’m sorry, that was a lot.”

“No no, it’s okay, don’t worry,” I said quickly, “I don’t mind, I get it.” I figured I could give my insight. “I couldn’t find a job for the longest time, and I was living in my parent’s basement until I was 23. I finally was able to get a job and move out, but I’ve got a shitty apartment in the sketchiest part of town. Don’t worry, you’ll find a job. They are out there.” I pulled up to Dallon’s house and parked.

“Thank you,” said Dallon, “I hope I can.” I got out of the car and opened the door for Dallon. “You didn’t need to do that for me,” he said. I shrugged and replied simply, “Well, I wanted to, so there.” I smiled widely. Dallon thanked me, and we walked to his door. 

“So is 8 good for tonight?” I asked him before going. “What?” he asked. I got worried that he had completely forgotten; I really hoped he liked me too. “Oh wait,” he interjected, “You mean dinner, yeah that’s right, sorry I remember.” Thank god. “Yeah that’ll work.” I was excited, and possibly too much so. “Awesome! I’ll see you then!” I exclaimed probably too loudly. Dallon smirked and then disappeared behind his front door. I drove home so I could get ready for dinner. It may have been 2 o’clock then, but I wanted to look my absolute best.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going on vacation for a while, but when I get back, I hope to post like two more chapters.


	7. A Night Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brendon and Dallon hit the town, but what happens when they do?

Dallon’s POV

When I got back home from rehearsal, I was beat. My head was throbbing, and my body wanted to stop functioning. Instead of passing out on the landing upstairs like last night, I actually made it to my bedroom before collapsing and falling asleep.

My doorbell woke me up. I had slept so deeply, that I momentarily forgot where I was and what my name was. When I came to my senses, I sleepily stumbled downstairs to see who was at the door. When I opened it, Brendon was stood there in a casual suit with a bowtie. Damn, he looked really good. “Hi Brendon,” I yawned, “You okay?” Brendon was clearly confused. “I should be asking you that,” he replied simply, “You ready to go?”

“Oh shit.” I fell asleep, and now it was already eight o’clock. I couldn’t even believe it. I didn’t shower, I didn’t do my hair, and I didn’t even brush my teeth. I was a complete mess. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry Brendon, I fell asleep for six hours.” He understood and smiled. “Don’t worry, I’m not surprised since you’re concussed. How much time do you need?”

I checked my watch, and it read 8:01 PM. Brendon was so punctual. “I need 5 minutes max. Is that okay?” I asked, “While you wait, you can have a drink.” Brendon nodded, and came inside the house. I ran upstairs, skipping every other step. As fast as I possibly could, I put on deodorant, ran a comb through my bed head, washed my face, and put on what I call my “Johnny Cash suit” because even though it’s all black, it’s nice and casual enough. I found my shiniest black shoes and laced them up, and with that, I was ready to go.

When ran downstairs, Brendon was by the bar, and he had poured two glasses of whiskey. “Hey,” he said as I entered the room, “You look really good.” I felt my face go flush and thanked him. I stood in the same spot for about a minute because I’m really good at making the situation awkward, and then I finally sat with Brendon on the couch.

As I sat, Brendon handed me my glass and we clinked our glasses together. As we chatted about our days, I downed my whiskey fairly quickly because I wanted to get out the door as soon as possible. I did make him late after all, and I felt bad about it. I think I may have pressured Brendon to keep up with me, because he finished quickly too. But not long after we placed our glasses in the sink did we make a quick exit to the car and headed to the restaurant. 

Brendon turned the radio on, but he was considerate and kept the volume low so my head wouldn’t hurt. It was the classic rock channel, Brendon’s favorite, and as soon as the car started, “I Wanna Know What Love Is” by Foreigner started playing. Brendon and I looked at each other for a moment, but it felt like a forever. In that split second, I got incredibly lost in his sparkling eyes. But then I realized what had happened and I felt my face turn beet red. I couldn’t look at Brendon or even speak until the song was over.

After what seemed like another forever, I finally spoke up. “Umm,” I said while clearing my throat, “What restaurant are we going to?” Brendon smirked and deviously replied, “Oh, but that would ruin the surprise!” I gasped in fake horror, but I couldn’t help but break it with a smile. “Well,” I said in my sassiest tone, “it better be something hella fine.” Brendon didn’t reply, but he sure as hell stifled a giggle. 

We parked a block from the restaurant so we got to walk by all the little shops in the downtown area. I didn’t understand why Brendon was taking me to the trendiest and quite frankly the most expensive part of town. Suddenly Brendon stopped walking to which I was confused because I thought we were going to the Carrabba’s three doors down, but he stopped me from going further. He had just stopped at the most critically acclaimed restaurant within fifty miles: Le Chat Blanc. It was safe to say I was utterly shocked. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I blurted out, “this is so expensive!” Brendon smiled from ear to ear and replied, “Well you deserve the best in my profound opinion, so this is where we shall eat.” I didn’t even get a chance to respond because he had gone and opened the door for me. Baffled, I walked in. The place was probably worth six times my house because everything was either pristine white, gold-plated, or crystal. I had always wanted to try this place, but I never found the occasion. 

Brendon sauntered in front of me and had the hostess take us to our reserved table. I knew that definitely didn’t deserve this kindness because I started to feel like royalty. During dinner, I couldn’t talk much. I just kept staring at the walls and the other fancy people who completed the scene. Brendon ordered us some really good red wine, and we both ended up having the special: baked Camembert. The food was out of this world; it was probably the best I’d ever had. What made the night special though was Brendon. He was so witty and talking to him was so easy. He spoke much more than I, but that was okay. It began to feel like I had known him for forever. We seemed to agree on everything, and I felt a connection. He made me forget about all the bad shit. 

Finally, the check came, and I insisted on paying. But, being the gentleman he is, he refused my offer to pay. I couldn’t believe that this guy, whose wallet was stolen because of me, was willing to pay for this big fancy dinner for me. Like, who was I that I was so special or so deserving? Eventually, we got up and left Le Chat Blanc. It had been an incredible evening.

On the way back to the car, I saw a Ben and Jerry’s. I stopped in my tracks and turned to Brendon saying, “If you won’t let me pay for dinner, at least let me get you ice cream.” Brendon stood there for a moment with his face full of stubbornness, but he eventually let it fade away and said, “You’re lucky I’m a sucker for mint chocolate chip.” We both smiled and entered the mostly empty ice cream parlor. 

As I expected, Brendon got his mint chip, and I got my cookie dough. We sat at a table for a few minutes while we ate, and we continued our great conversation from before. Every word that exited his lips was something worth holding on to, and he just astounded me with every little movement. I had to keep reminding myself not to get carried away because knowing me I would certainly go overboard. Once our ice creams were sufficiently consumed, we returned to the car and speedily made our way home. 

I felt like Brendon for some reason had to constantly prove how much of a gentleman he was because he not only opened the car door for me but he also walked me to my front door. Before I went inside, I had to thank him. “Brendon, thank you so much for tonight. It really was beyond anything I could’ve imagined. You really are incredible.” Although it was dark outside, I could see red fill his face. “Oh well umm,” he began while smiling uncontrollably, “thank you for letting me take you out. I had lots of fun.” I couldn’t help but smile too, and I replied, “I had fun, too.” A moment of silence had passed, and suddenly—

Sparks.  
Fireworks. 

Every feeling flooded through me in an instant, and I was consumed with emotion.

Brendon placed his hands on my face as he pulled my lips into his. The initial shock only lasted a very short while because I soon after melted into the kiss. I wrapped my arms around him and brought him closer to me.

Unlike anything I had ever felt before.

I could’ve spent forever in his embrace, but soon Brendon pulled away and his face read embarrassment. His face became a tomato, and he turned his eyes away from me. “Uh well umm,” he stuttered, “Goodnight.” He then rapidly walked back to his car without looking back. “Wait!” I tried to call to him, but at that point he was gone. I didn’t understand what was wrong, but I was worried. I knew I liked Brendon, and if he was worried that I didn’t, I needed to change that and soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about how late this is. I've been meaning to post more, but I've been swamped by work and stuff. I will try my best to update as much as I can.


	8. The Next Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brendon and Dallon talk it out, and Spencer is suspicious.

Brendon’s POV

I couldn’t even believe myself. I didn’t know what came over me. All I knew in that moment was that I completely fucked up any chance of dating Dallon or even just being his friend. I was so embarrassed by my impulses that all I could do is walk away, and I ended up crying the whole ride home. How could I have done that? I always find a way to ruin everything. When I finally got up to my apartment, I saw that Dallon texted asking, “hey you okay?” but I couldn’t reply then. I took the quickest shower to have ever existed and went straight to bed. I find that sleep gives me clarity, or at least escape.

When I finally woke up, I rolled over to see my alarm clock read “8:47 AM”. I sighed heavily and let out a “well fuck” because I knew I was going to be late to work. My shitty desk job as an administrative assistant to some big corporate big shot company that I didn’t give a shit about was the only thing allowing me to pay rent, so I couldn’t risk losing it. As fast as I could, I got ready for the day. I knew I could get coffee and breakfast at the office, so I skipped eating altogether, and just before I left, I saw that Dallon had called me three times while I was asleep last night. As I was struggling to decide whether or not I would call back, he called me again right then and there. I paused for a moment and then finally answered.

“This is Brendon,” I murmured. I feared everything that was to come with this phone call. The oblivion that came with all the possibilities of what he might say frightened me to my core. “Brendon?” Dallon asked. He sounded concerned more than anything else. “Are you okay?” I cleared my throat and weakly let out a “yes”. There was an unbearable pause until Dallon started speaking again.

“Are you sure?” he began, “Because I don’t want you to worry about last night. I uh, umm, I really liked it, uh, actually.” This startled me because that was the last thing I thought he’d say. The only real words I could formulate were “Wait what?” which I thought was so rude. I wasn’t completely sure, but I thought that I heard giggling from the other line.

“Yeah, umm,” he said, “I really did. All last night, I felt like we’ve known each other forever and… I don’t know, it felt really good. When you did… y’know… it felt right. It felt so right. And, I don’t know what you’ll say to this, but do you wanna try? Like, with me?” The whole time he spoke, all I could think of is “Oh my god, is he for real?”

“Umm,” I stuttered. I really needed to start saying sentences. “I would really like that. I don’t think I would’ve made a move if I didn’t feel that way. I was worried you didn’t like me back actually.”

“Well it’s a good thing I do like you,” replied Dallon, “I actually like you quite a bit Mr. Brendon Urie.” We both giggled, and I sighed with such great relief. Dallon picked up from where he left off: “Would you maybe like to, umm, I don’t know, hang out, umm, maybe at my place… tonight? Like, I know it’s a Monday, but maybe?”

I was utterly speechless. I pinched my arm as hard as I could because I simply could not believe it. Not only does he like me back, but he also wants to hang out with me again today? I think I was silent for too long because Dallon said, “Hello? Brendon, you there?” I cleared my throat and spoke up finally.

“Umm, uh,” I stumbled, “Yeah I would, umm, really like that actually.” I was smiling so much that he probably could tell. “Great!” Dallon exclaimed, “What time is good for you?”

I just remembered that I was going to be extremely late for work, so I quickly scrambled to check my agenda for today. “Uhhh,” I mumbled, but I then spoke up saying, “I think I can come at 7, is that okay?” Dallon agreed to the time, and I had to tell him that I really needed to go. “Sorry Dallon, but I have to rush to work. I’ll see you then!” I only heard half of a goodbye because I hung up quickly. It was now 9 o’clock exactly, which is the precise time I was supposed to arrive at work. As fast as humanly possible, I combed my hair, brushed my teeth, tied my shoelaces, and ran out the door. 

When I got to my car, I paused for a moment before driving away. I smiled to myself. “Good job, Brendon,” I told myself, “You did good this go around.”

I then picked up my pace, turned the car on, and speedily drove to the office. Luckily for me, it wasn’t a super long drive and it’s not like I needed to check in with a time card or whatever. I was surprised that I got there when I did; I only was late by eighteen minutes. I was also surprised that I didn’t get pulled over by a cop considering how fast I was going. 

I awkwardly speed walked to my desk next to my Spencer, my best friend at the office and former band member. “Look who finally decided to show up,” he sassed me. Whenever he sasses me, it’s typically jokingly, so in the same way, I flip him off while making a weird face. As I got settled, I asked him, “Did anyone notice?” to which Spencer nonchalantly replied, “Nah, Frank isn’t even here yet.” Frank, our manager, was always late despite lecturing us about punctuality.

Luckily, my workload for the day was light, so I hesitated starting it. I had to tell Spencer the good news about Dallon. “Spencer, guess what.” He looked over his shoulder at me with a face full of Monday morning attitude. “How can I be of service Mr. Urie?” he asked. “I met someone,” I blurted out. Without him changing his face, he questioned me: “Boy or girl or neither?” I pulled my chair around to face him.

“He’s in a band, and he let me play with his band, and I think they want me IN the band, and I think he really likes me, and we went out to dinner at Le Chat Blanc, and he’s cute... SPENCE.” He pretended to fall asleep. I punched him in the arm and he let out a solid “Hey!” He then looked at me and began his series of questions that he always asks whenever I meet someone. “One, have you fucked? Two, what is he on a scale of one to ten? And three, what’s his name?”

“One, no…” I got flush in the face, but I continued with my answers: “Two, to me, of course, he’s a ten.” Spencer just smirked at me and said, “Well of course YOU think so.” 

I just kept smiling like an idiot, but Spencer kept talking: “You should totally join their band by the way. Pete and Ray the other day were just so done, so I think you’re good.”

“Oh good!” I interjected, “And also, his name is Dallon, Dallon Weekes.” At the last part, Spencer whipped his head around without saying anything. “What?” I asked confusedly. What was his deal?

“I knew Dallon in high school. Be careful around him Bren. He is, or well, he was super emo and he hung out with a bunch of really weird kids. Just be careful, will you?” I was shocked at what he said. “Spence, he’s totally normal, I swear. What the hell do you mean?”

Spencer shrugged. “I mean, he was always the weirdest kid in our class. I didn’t really know him well, but everyone knew him for the wrong reason. Just be aware of that.” I still didn’t understand, but I decided not to take the conversation any further. “Umm, okay,” was all I could muster.

Not a second later did Frank start walking down the hall. “Morning Spencer, morning Brendon, glad to see you here on time,” he said, acknowledging us. “Morning Mr. Iero,” we simultaneously greeted him reluctantly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the record, it is SO TOUGH trying to balance everything when you're in a musical. Just sayin'.


	9. Searching All Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dallon interacts with females in a variety of ways. Also, he finally picks up the new bass.

Dallon’s POV

Oh my god.

I had just asked him over to hang out TONIGHT. Was I too forward? Why did I ask him? Yeah, I really liked him, and I wanted to spend time with him as much as I can. But was that too much? I decided that it was a good idea, so I calmed myself down and relaxed. Just after I hung up with Brendon, I got a phone call from my mother. In my mind, I groaned, “Ugh, what does she want?”

“Hello?” I asked when I answered the phone. Before speaking, my mother cleared her throat. “Dallon, I don’t want you to say anything. I just want to speak.” She paused, so I uttered a “Go on then.” She sighed heavily before finally saying something: “Listen, I understand that we did not get along well the other day, but I want you to know that your father and I do not think this phase of yours is acceptable behavior. We give you a lot of money every month, and we are unsure as to whether or not we want to continue doing that if you continue down this path. We expected a lot fro-“ At that I had to cut her off.

“For the last time Mom,” I interjected angrily, “this is NOT a phase. How many times do I have to tell you this? I am gay, gay, gay. I am SUPER, SUPER gay. You can’t change that because it is unchangeable. I was born this way and will always be this way. I deserve to live my life the way that I want. I am an independent person.” This is where I got too ballsy for my own good. “And you know what? I don’t want your funding anymore. I am NOT a charity case. I can provide for myself. I’ve already got the house since it’s paid off and in MY name. I can find a job. I can be independent. In fact, I AM independent. So don’t bother anymore.”

There was a very long pause before my mother spoke again. “Well then,” she said, her voice cracking from the crying that was about to ensue, “I guess we should leave you alone.” After another long pause, I managed to say, “If that’s what you want.” Hideous weeping erupted from the other line. “Good bye Dallon.” Then the call was completely over, and so was my monthly income. I thought about what I just did, and after contemplation, all I could say was, “Well, fuck.”

So of course, what was I going to do with the rest of my day? Find a job as soon as humanly possible. I got properly dressed for the day, swallowed week old pizza, and headed outside to catch the bus. It wasn’t my favorite way of getting around, but it was convenient enough, and I never had enough money to get a car. Plus, I don’t really like driving. I can drive, but it’s not my fave.

The first place that I would be happy to work at was the guitar shop. I knew everyone there, and it would be fun. While I was at it, I might’ve as well go get my new bass. I had been meaning to, and I was glad it was already paid for now that I’m not getting my funds. 

I strolled casually into the store, at the register was my friend Joe. The dude could play the guitar like a beast, and we had gotten to know each other due to the number of times I had been in there. “Hey Dallon!” he exclaimed as he saw me walk in, “Your bass is ready for pickup, dude.” I smiled; Joe had a way of making people happy. “I’m glad, but I’ve got a question for you as well.” He leaned onto the counter and replied, “Shoot.”

“Well I’m looking for a job,” I started, “so do you know of any openings here? It could be fun.” Joe stood up straight and thought about it for a moment. When he finally answered, he said, “Well, I honestly don’t know. If you want, I can get Ray, and you can ask him.” I nodded at his suggestion, and he disappeared into the back. 

Ray was the most mysterious person I had ever heard of. I had actually never seen him in my life because I had either come in when he wasn’t there or he was busy. Joe always told me that “His curls are even crazier than mine” and that Ray was an even better guitar player than he. I can’t imagine that, but I always agreed. A couple minutes later, the enigmatic Ray appeared from the back.

“You must be Dallon! Ray Toro, nice to meet you.” Oh my god this man was so nice right off the bat. He was like an excitable puppy. “That’s me,” I replied as I shook the hand he held out to me. “I was wondering about job openings here?” I half asked and half stated. 

Ray sighed. “Unfortunately, we aren’t hiring right now.” In my mind, I thought “Shit.” But Ray continued speaking: “However, from what Trohman tells me, you’d be great here when we get a spot. You’ll be the first person I call, cool?” I nodded, and then replied, “Yeah, thanks a lot though, I really appreciate it.” Right then, Joe came out with my bass in the hard case I got with it. I thanked them both, and headed out.

And so my search for a job continued. Over a period of four hours, I looked what seemed like EVERYWHERE. I checked everywhere from the Neiman Marcus to the Hot Topic to the Barnes and Noble to the McDonald’s. Even the fucking grocery store where I got assaulted wasn’t hiring. Eventually I got so sick of looking that I just got an Orange Julius and sat on a bench with the bass I had been lugging around all day. I guess I must’ve looked pretty upset because a woman with long red hair and freckles walked up to me. “Hey, are you doing all right?” she asked with a half concerned and half confused look.

This woman had probably nine piercings up one ear, a Rolling Stones tee, and vans. Her winged eyeliner looked nice, and her lips were blood red. She seemed pretty cool and oddly trustworthy. “Yeah, not really,” I admitted, “I can’t find a job for shit.” She laughed at my comment.

“What?” I asked her. She smiled at me and said, “You’re awfully lucky then.” She saw the confusion that permeated my face, so she continued talking. “I work at the vintage record store on 14th. We happen to be hiring, and I happen to be the manager.” I practically struck gold. 

“Would you take me? Like, can I have the job?” I blurted out. She giggled again and quickly looked me up and down as I stood up. “Yeah, maybe,” she said, “Why don’t you come in for an interview tomorrow?” She pulled out a post-it note and a pen, and she scribbled a phone number onto the paper and preceded to hand it me. “Here,” she said, handing me the paper, “Call me later and figure out when you can come in. Sound good?” I smiled from ear to ear.

“If I wasn’t supremely gay, I would kiss you,” I said, but I immediately regretted it because it probably made me sound mental. Surprisingly, she just laughed. “Well if I wasn’t supremely gay either, I would do the same.” I sighed and smiled again. “What’s your name?” I asked her.

“My name’s Brenda Hawkins, you are?” I cleared my throat and said, “Dallon, I’m Dallon Weekes.” She nodded slightly and held out a hand to be shaken: “A pleasure to meet you Dallon.” And then it hit me. I remembered. It seemed like she had a similar brainwave hit her.

“Wait a minute,” I interjected, “Do you happen know a Mrs. Weekes at a Pilates class that you hypothetically attend?” She looked at me with realization and asked me, “You don’t happen to be her gay son that she’s trying to set me up with?” Simultaneously our jaws dropped, but we then just laughed. 

“Clearly, that relationship won’t work out,” she said mid-laugh, to which I agreed. “It’s been fantastic meeting you, despite the weird circumstances and coincidences,” I told Brenda. She was super chill, and I really hoped she’d let me work at the record store. She could be good to work with and a better friend. “It’s been lovely, Dallon. Do call me, won’t you?” I said yes and thanked her profusely. We then said goodbye and went our separate ways.

I was really appreciative of Brenda because she really made my shitty day much better. I finished my Orange Julius and caught the bus back to my house. I had to make sure it wasn’t a total mess for when Brendon was to come over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TWO CHAPTERS IN TWO DAYS???? WHAAAAA???????? (I shocked myself.) Yeah, this one is a little long, but it's full of good stuff, I swear.


	10. Date Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh what a magnificent evening!

Brendon’s POV

After a long and exhausting day at work, I made a pit stop home before heading to Dallon’s. I didn’t have a lot of work that day, but there was some serious drama between two of the ladies in my office, and let’s just say that I had to prevent one from jumping over her desk and strangling the other. Luckily, nothing too bad erupted, but it was gonna go down for real.

I changed out of my work clothes and into comfy (but not sloppy) sweatpants and a tee. I figured this was gonna be a casual night, but I decided that I shouldn’t be a total slob. I ended up spending a good ten minutes on my hair because I had to look perfect. When I thought it was acceptable for me to leave the house, I headed to my car again and drove to the house. My timing could not have been more perfect, however, I felt that I should bring something, so I stopped briefly at the liquor store and bought red wine. Nothing too fancy, but at the same time, not bad quality at all.

As I pulled up to Dallon’s house, I became suddenly, almost instantly nervous. My stomach was a churning sea and all I could think about are the number of possible fuck-ups I could make in one evening. Before I had a massive freak out, I did some deep breathing exercises and finally exited the car. This was my chance to really get to hang with Dallon and see where things lead.

I walked up to Dallon’s front stoop and breathed deeply before ringing the doorbell. When there was no answer after about a minute, I rang the doorbell again. I thought it was weird that there was no answer, but within the next five seconds, Dallon appeared, looking slightly frazzled. “Hey sorry about that, I had to put on pants,” he said panting slightly. “Why don’t you come in?”

I couldn’t help but giggle at that comment. It seemed very much like something Dallon would do. As Dallon opened the door wider, I slid into the house and stood still in the front room. Dallon started to walk back towards the living room, but I had frozen to the spot I was standing at. I was so unnecessarily nervous that all my body weight somehow transferred to my feet. “Umm,” Dallon called from down the hall, “You coming you big nerd or what?” I then quickly followed him.

Dallon had set up the living room to essentially be like a giant canopy of blankets and pillows so that we could watch the TV. It was actually the most adorable thing I had ever seen in my entirely life. As he saw me admiring his work, Dallon asked me, “Do you like it? I figured it would be cozy.” I couldn’t say anything, so I just nodded my head violently. 

I think Dallon noticed how nervous I was, so he came over to me without saying anything, took the wine out of my hands, placed it on the table beside us, and gave me a hug. In that very moment, I felt all the stress leave me. It was a wonderful way for me to relax; Dallon makes me feel so comfortable like everything is perfect. Dallon then invited me to sit in the little fort while he went to get wine glasses.

The fort was rather comfy. There was an assortment of fluffy pillows including one with rainbow stripes. As well, there were a number of blankets made out of various fabrics. Overtop, the canopy was crafted out of two dining room chairs and a king sized sheet. For extra pizazz, Dallon had a string of fairy lights hanging from the chairs up above. The living room itself had no overhead lighting, but light radiated from the kitchen, thereby casting a soft glow from the right. The large TV above and in front of the fort was already set up for Netflix. The scene was casual and cozy, but the effort that was put into the arrangement was evident. I soon realized that he must’ve liked me at least some if he was willing to put in all the effort to do this.

My trance was broken by a ding. Not a moment sooner did Dallon walk in with two wine glasses and a pepperoni pizza. He laid the pizza and the glasses down in front of me and reached over to the small table with the wine to grab it. He then situated himself to my right underneath the bed sheet canopy. He was shoulder to shoulder with me, and I couldn’t feel more at home.

“So tell me Brendon,” he said as he turned to face me, “What shall we watch this evening? You pick the genre or even the movie if you want.” This was a bad moment for me to prove that I was the most indecisive guy ever, so I just randomly selected an idea. “How ‘bout a 80s throwback movie?” I suggested. John Hughes’s movies are my favorites, so anything like that would have been fantastic. Dallon seemed to like the idea and listed a few. “Well, I personally love Heathers, but I’m also a fan of Pretty in Pink. But it’s your choice,” he replied. He smiled widely at me as I tried to make a decision. I probably said “umm” for thirty seconds, until I finally decided: “Can we watch the Breakfast Club?”

Dallon’s face lit up, and he nodded eagerly. As he put on the movie, he pulled a blanket over our legs and sat himself right next to me. Our shoulders were brushing against each other. I just wanted to hold him close to me like last night. It was weird that we haven’t talked about it, but he was just so comfortable around me. Honestly, I was so confortable, too. I never thought that I could be so comfortable around a person I have only known for three days. He made me feel something I had never felt before, and I never felt about anyone that way before.

We merrily ate our pizza and slowly finished the entire bottle of wine. All throughout the movie, Dallon felt the need for commentary. For example, when Bender sticks the weed down the kid’s pants, Dallon commented, “I always thought that was funny for some reason because you know, that joke he makes is brilliant.” It didn’t make complete sense honestly, but it was cute nonetheless. 

About a third into the movie, I quickly glanced at Dallon. He was glued to the TV, so I thought it was safe to make a subtle move. I allowed my hand to softly brush against his fingers and then have my hand sit right next to his. Immediately, Dallon took the hint and reached for my hand. He laced his fingers with mine and rested his head on my shoulder. Dear god, I was a cross between nervous, excited, and ecstatic. Neither of us moved for a while longer.

Later into the movie, when Molly Ringwald’s character kisses Bender’s neck in the closet, Dallon shifted his head to look at me. “So kissing someone’s neck means you want them?” he asked softly. I gazed into his shining eyes and nodded. I physically could not get words out of my mouth. Slowly, Dallon inched closer to me and asked, “Don’t you think a kiss on the lips says the same thing?” Our faces were almost touching. The electricity between us could’ve charged the country for many years. His breath danced over my skin as he spoke, and we couldn’t help but look into each other’s eyes. His azure eyes sparkled like stars on a clear night. I finally replied to his question in a whisper: “I think so.” 

We stared at each other for only a moment more because Dallon grabbed the side of my face and pulled me into him. The space was removed from between our lips and our chests. I was startled at first, but I softened and pulled myself closer to him. His lips tasted like wine, but it didn’t matter. Our lips and tongues moved in perfect harmony with each other, and no two people could ever be closer. His fingers ran through my hair, grabbing hold and causing my back to arch. Dallon’s hands then explored my chest. He ran his hand up underneath my shirt and grabbed my side to be pulled closer again. My god, I had never kissed someone like this before. I wrapped my arms around him and ran my hands up his back under his shirt. We continued to move in beat with each other. Dallon turned me on so much with every movement he made. Abruptly, Dallon pulled away, looked me in the face, and told me, “Follow me.” Before I knew it, I was being taken upstairs, and it was everything I could ever want.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the cliffhanger, but this continues I swear!


	11. A Lazy-ish Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dallon and Brendon and fluffy stuff lol

Dallon’s POV

I don’t know what came over me. I suddenly was overcome with feelings for him. I couldn’t control how I felt, and I let it all flow out of me into him. I was ready for it all at once. I dragged him by the wrist up the stairs. As we walked through the door to my room, the loop on his waistband got caught on the door handle. We laughed it off and ran into my room. Because he’s as silly as he is, he flopped onto the bed like a beached whale, and I couldn’t help but giggle uncontrollably. “My god, your laugh is the cutest,” he said to me. That only made me giggle more. I walked over to him and straddled my legs over his waist. I leaned over to kiss him again, and I decided that this is what I wanted in my life. Despite what anyone would think, I would want moments like these throughout my life.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next morning, I rolled over to find Brendon curled up in a ball underneath the sheets. His face was scrunched up a little, but it was peaceful. He made me smile like an idiot. I took the time to ponder as to whether or not this was too fast. I mean, we only admitted to liking each other two days before. I gave in considerable thought, and I decided that I knew what I was doing and that Brendon made me feel good in all the ways. I was happy, and it felt right. So, did it matter if it was fast?

I flopped out of bed and I tried to find a pair of clean boxers. Surprisingly, I had very few pairs, and finding one seemed almost impossible. I found the pair with the pugs on them and went to the bathroom to wash my face. I could hear Brendon groan like the undead from the other room, and a couple moments later, he walked in surrounded in my sheet.

“Morning Starshine,” I said, “The Earth says hello.” I think he was still half asleep because he rubbed his eyes and uttered, “What?” I smiled and gave him a peck on his right cheek. He smiled at that. I forgot to see what time it was, so I asked Brendon, “Are you concerned about getting to work on time?” I did know it was well past nine. 

He sniffled slightly and replied sleepily, “I don’t always have to come in on Tuesdays.” I didn’t know what he meant, but I figured it was all okay. He stumbled over closer to me, so I gave him a hug. While hugging, I asked Brendon, “You know, we never really talked about what we are.” Brendon pulled away and woke up more. “You’re right,” he said, “What are we Mr. Dallon? Because to be perfectly honest, I would really, really like to be your boyfriend.” I couldn’t help but feel giddy. 

I jokingly kneeled down (proposal style), paused for a moment (to fake him out), picked up a piece of paper on the floor, threw it away, and then finally asked my question: “Will you, Brendon Urie, be my boyfriend?” He nodded so vigorously that I thought his head was going to fly off his neck. I then proceeded to give him a quick kiss. I glanced over Brendon’s shoulder to see my alarm clock, which read “9:54 AM”. 

“Damn,” I said quietly and then continued louder, “I should clean up for my job interview.” Brendon was clearly puzzled because his face said so, so I explained: “I decided to actually get a job, so I’m gonna go to the record store for my interview in…” I paused to calculate time. “… 40-ish minutes?” 

“Well can I at least make breakfast before you go? You don’t need to worry about me. I’ll cook, and then I can head back to my place to make myself presentable.” My god, he couldn’t be sweeter. “If you insist,” I said smilingly. He smiled and left the room to put on pants. A moment later, I heard him scuttle down the stairs. I continued my morning routine: brushed my teeth, showered briefly, deodorant, styling my hair, and the obligatory spritz of cologne. By the time I got downstairs, a shirtless Brendon had made pancakes with chocolate chips.

“Oh my god,” I said standing in the door. I was just amazed because this scene was something I could only imagine. “Hello!” he replied cheerfully. As I walked over to sit by the counter, he handed me a plate, and my god, those were the best pancakes I’d ever had. 

“Where the hell did you learn to cook?” I asked him. He was very pleased that I enjoyed the pancakes so much. “Trust me,” he started, “one must learn to make food other than ramen in college if you want your salt intake to remain normal.” That made me smile greatly. He kept making me smile like an idiot; I don’t think I had ever smiled this much in my life ever.

We both fully consumed our pancakes, and I started to clean up the dishes that Brendon and I had used. “Whoa whoa,” Brendon interjected, “What are you doing? I can take care of it.” I would not even consider it: “No way mister, you did a stellar job making the food, so it is ONLY fair that I clean up.” Brendon shrugged because he wouldn’t fight me.

After having cleaned up, I noticed that I really needed to get going. I had maybe twelve minutes to get somewhere that was fifteen minutes away. So as quickly as I could, I slipped on my shoes, kissed Brendon’s cheek, to which he was not satisfied and pulled me back in for a real deal kiss, told him to lock up when he left, and ran outside to catch the bus. Luckily, it pulled up just as I got to my stop. I don’t know why I trusted Brendon so much or why I was suddenly so close to him. I mean, I had spent like pretty much the entirety of the past few days with him, and we had talked a lot. I did feel like I knew him really well. I just don’t know… It was strange. I never felt this way about anyone like I do with Brendon. I don’t mean like in a lovey way, although that is part of it. He just makes me elevated as a person. I aspire to be my best self around him instead of the mopey asshole that I’ve been the past five years. It’s inexplicable. 

I checked my watch, and by some miracle I was right on time to get to the record store. I burst into the store to find Brenda behind the counter. “Right on time,” she remarked, “You’re off to a good start.” I relaxed some and followed her back for my official interview for my soon to be new job… hopefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I've been away for a little while. I hope your new year is treating you well so far! Still more to come...


	12. Bad Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brendon tried to have a chill time back at the apartment, but nothing is chill when bad memories come back to haunt you.

Brendon’s POV

Dallon ran out of the door as quickly as he could, and I was left alone in the house. It really was a beautiful house. I had hoped that I could eventually spend more time there as time passed. I wiped down the counters of the kitchen, skipped up the steps to grab my clothes, got dressed, and made my way out. Just before I left, I grabbed a piece of paper from Dallon’s office-y room and left a note for him in the kitchen. It was only then that I left, locking the door behind me. 

I didn’t really have anything to do that day as I told Dallon. I rarely worked Tuesdays because there was some old dude who came out of retirement a while back before I was hired, and he wanted to work like once a week. When I was hired, I was told that was the case and I could just not work on Tuesdays. If I did, it’d be unpaid. It was weird, but I never complained. Tuesdays would usually be my day to catch up on sleep, do laundry, and other various shit. I figured I could go home, get properly dressed, and clean up the apartment a little bit. 

I pulled into my parking spot in the building, and just as I had turned off my car, my phone rang. I didn’t recognize the number, but I answered anyway. “This is Brendon.”

“Well hello Beebo!” All I could think of was “Oh no”. Why did he have to call me now? It always happened at the most inconvenient times. “How can I help you Erik?” I reluctantly asked. I had no interest in talking to him.

“It’s been waayyyyy too long Beeb. I think it’s about time we hung out again,” he suggested nonchalantly. I was not taking this shit again. He pulled this shit with me one too many times. “Just because I came back three times, what makes you think I’ll come back after what happened?”

“Because you just can’t get enough, and you know it.” I couldn’t believe his audacity. “You know,” I started angrily, “Maybe when I was eighteen that would’ve been charming to me as it was, but it’s anything but. I’m not on your hook, and you can’t just show up and fuck me because you can’t find some piece of teenage ass to manipulate. So why don’t you leave me alone? And how did you even get this number?”

“Oh honey,” he said coolly, “I have my ways. Now, don’t you be acting like that. You and I both know that I can have you whenever I want, and I’m just not that easy to get rid of. It’s been way too long. C’mon now, come back to your sugar daddy.”

“Okay first of all, yuck as fuck,” I near yelled. “You disgust me. You can’t take advantage of me like you have in the past. Stop calling me or I’ll contact police.” I heard laughing on the other line. “But you wouldn’t do that would you?”

“Try me,” I threatened. “Besides, I’ve moved on from you long ago. Let’s not forget that you were the one that cheated on me with multiple people on many occasions. I’m done with you complete shit. Plus, I’ve been with others since you’re last appearance. You’re just a bad memory. So fuck off.”

Erik made a fake gasp. “Since when are you so feisty? Well, we’ve both known you always were in bed.” I couldn’t take it. “Erik, stop! I have a boyfriend now, and if you so much as dial my number again, I will find as many ways as I can to ruin your life.” With that, I hung up. He immediately tried to call me again five times as I walked up to my apartment. When I made it to the apartment, Erik had stopped calling but he started texting me.

“Awwwwww beebs dont b salty baaaaaaabeeee”  
“u kno u wanna hang sometime ;)”  
“ill find ur apartment bae + we can get 2 kno each other again”  
“dont u ignore me, u know u luv it”  
“im dtf, u wanna?”

I ignored him for a while, and he sent one last text.

“ill b here when ur ready to crawl back”

With that, I threw my phone across the room and yelled at the top of my lungs. How dare he do that to me? He is toxic, and I know it. He just had to ruin everything by calling me. I was doing so well, too. I thought I had moved far enough and changed enough to lose him, but I guessed not. It made me so mad. I sat down on my couch and began to cry. The only thing I knew that I could do in that moment was call Kiana.

Kiana was my first girlfriend back in 6th grade. She meant the world to me, and she’s been my best friend since forever. Outside of Las Vegas, kids can be pretty mean, so when some 3rd grader tried to kick my ass, my 1st grade self was terrified. She came out of nowhere and kicked the 3rd grader in the balls. That’s when I fell in love. It was only later after we dated that I realized it wasn’t romantic love but friendship love. So our relationship didn’t last, but our friendship was fantastic. Since then we have been through it all together. Unfortunately, I had to move away after high school, but she was always on my speed dial, and she knew everything about me, including Erik.

She picked up on the third ring. “Brendon! How are you, boo? East coast treating you right?” she answered. “I’m not great K,” I replied quietly, trying to hold back tears. 

“Oh hon,” she started, “Are you crying? What happened?” All I had to say was “Erik”, and she knew. “Say no more, I’m heading out to you,” she said. “Wait nononono,” I interrupted, “I just need you here on the phone, right now.” 

She sighed heavily on the other line and continued: “Okay hon, but I will come to see you soon, okay? It’s been too long.” 

“Yeah I know it has,” I remarked, “plus I have to tell you something.” I could hear the excitement from across the country. “OOOOOH TELL MEEEEEEEEE!”

“Now don’t freak out,” I prefaced, “but I have a new boyfriend.” Kiana’s screaming blew out my ear. “YAS BABE YAS I’M SO HAPPY WHAT’S HIS NAME WHAT’S HE LIKE OMG.” 

“His name is Dallon, and he’s a musician,” I stated while giggling. “Oh hon, I’m so happy for you!” she squealed. “Ugh, shit, I gotta go, but keep me updated will you on everything? I’m always here.”

“Of course I will,” I replied, “Love you bunches.” 

“And you too!” She then hung up. That phone call was everything that I needed, and I remembered why she was such a great friend. With that, I got up and made myself be productive around the house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TWO CHAPTERS in ONE DAY?!?! unHEARD of! but yes, here's another, and I hope you enjoyed!


	13. The Interview

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brenda fully and deeply examines Dallon in order to determine if he is indeed suitable for the job.

Dallon’s POV

Brenda guided me to a back room where she sat behind a miniscule desk and asked me to sit in an equally small chair. There was a four-foot tall file cabinet behind her with four drawers; an equally tall bookcase holding records and a gigantic set of encyclopedias; and an empty water cooler. The light hanging overhead was dimmer than the natural lighting coming in the rectangular window on the back wall of the room. Brenda stared at me for what felt like a forever before suddenly asking questions at rapid-fire speed.

“Can you reshelf records and/or CDs?”

“Yeah, why not?”

“Can you do simple math and run a cash register?”

“Sure, but-“

“Can you hang out in the store and make sure people don’t steal?”

“Of course, but-“

“Great! Then you’re hired! Just fill out these forms, bring them back tomorrow, and you can start Thursday. What hours are good for you?”

“Holy shit, Brenda,” was all I could muster, “Just like that you’re gonna hire me?”

“Yeah, sure,” she said casually, “I’ve already run a background check. You’re cleared to go.” She then slid over a stack of various papers to me. “Here’s your employee handbook, list of safety measures, list of workplace rules, and list of employee benefits.”

“Wait a second,” I stopped her, “Why are you hiring me? Just like that? That’s it? You don’t need my resume or anything like that?” She shrugged simply and said, “You will meet Dave, who isn’t exactly brilliant, so if he is capable of successfully working here, then so are you. What are your preferred hours?” 

“Oh umm,” I stuttered, “Probably early mornings into early to mid afternoons. Is that okay?” Brenda nodded, saying, “That’s perfect actually because I would much rather have you open the place up at the crack of dawn rather than me.” She then proceeded to lean back in her chair and kick her feet up onto the desk. “So Dallon,” she said simply, “tell me about yourself. I’d like to know you better since we will work together.”

“Well,” I began, “I’m twenty-six years old; I’m adopted; I’m super gay, but you already knew that; I’ve got a brand new, handsome boyfriend and a nagging mother, as you know; and I’m a guitarist in a band, which you also already know. I’m finding that you already know a lot about me surprisingly. Maybe even more than I know considering my mom.”

Brenda laughed heartily. “Yeah, I may have seen the baby bathtub pic.” My face filled with dread and all I could say was, “Oh fuck”. Brenda laughed even more. “Don’t worry,” she reassured me, “they were cute.” At that, I shook my head.

“It’s funny,” she interjected, “Your mother has zero idea how gay I am.” I smirked and said, “Well you should tell her because that would be hilarious. She’d say something like ‘Everyone is turning gay! This is absurd!’” Brenda giggled at that. “Maybe so, but she thinks so highly of me that I’m not sure that I want to ruin that. I guess I’m that perfect mix of acceptable by her standards and what she believes is acceptable by your standards.”

“Maybe so,” I muttered more quietly. My mother really could frustrate me, and talking about it made me slightly bitter. “I… I don’t want to talk about her anymore, I’m sorry.”

“No no, it’s cool,” she replied, “I totally get it. So if you don’t mind me asking, what kind of music do you like? I think it’s appropriate considering your new position as sales associate.” I honestly didn’t know how to reply to that. I mean, I liked bands that were kinda old school punk and alt rock, but I couldn’t pinpoint a band specifically. “I guess alt rock, but I can’t really say. Anything rock and roll, you know?”

“Oh cool! Yeah I’m a big classic rock kinda gal. I’m glad you’re gonna be working with us, especially since you have good taste.” I smiled. Thank god I had found a job where I could actually maybe enjoy work. Plus, I had made a great new friend. Brenda was a godsend to say the least.

“HEY BRENDAAAAAAAHHH!” someone yelled from the front of the store. It was pretty faint, but clearly it was somebody yelling. Brenda stood up reluctantly and went to see what it was. I felt that I needed to follow her to see what was up. When we both walked back into the store, a tall, skinny man with large glasses and a Deadpool tee was standing outside the door knocking. He looked awfully confused. “Brenda, the door is locked,” he said simply.

“Dave, did you pull on the door, or did you push it?” Brenda asked exasperatedly. So this was the Dave she mentioned. “I pushed it,” he said simply. Brenda sighed and went to the door. “You’re supposed to pull it open,” she flat out told him. Dave then pulled the door and it opened without any trouble. I see what she meant by Dave’s intelligence. Brenda turned to me and quietly remarked, “So you see what I mean.”

I had to stifle a giggle. I wondered who else would be my new coworkers, so I asked Brenda exactly that: “Who else works here besides us and Dave?”

“Ah,” she said simply, “Well, actually Dave’s dad owns the place, and he goes by Mr. Benner. He’s super chill though, and he trusts me like I’m his own daughter. There’s also, Allison, Yuri, Helena, Matt, and Isaac, all of whom are super chill and friendly. There aren’t a lot of us, but we love it here, and because there’s so few, we make a pretty good wage.”

“Awesome,” was all I could say. Just then I got a text from Gerard.

“yo son can you and B man come meet us and the gang for lunch? we’ll be at Hannah’s around 1:30”

I had nothing to do, but I had to ask Brendon about his plans. 

“hey brendon! do you wanna meet up w/ the guys for lunch? 1:30 @ hannah’s”  
“yeah! i’ll see y’all there :*”

For some inexplicable reason, the little emoticon made me smile. After getting Brendon’s response, I let Gerard know that we were coming.

“yes i’ll bring batman to lunch”  
“haha very funny, seriously, bring brendon! see ya therrrr”

Now that I had confirmed my lunch plans, it was time for me to head out from the record store. “Hey Brenda, thank you so so so so sosososo soooooo much for this. I really can’t thank you enough.” Brenda smiled and simply replied, “Well I think you just did, and no worries! We’re glad to have you on board.” I said my goodbyes to Brenda and Dave, even though I didn’t make much of an introduction to the latter, and headed out. Just before I was out of earshot, Brenda called to me.

“Don’t forget! Thursday morning, bring those forms.” I smiled, nodded, and waved. It was just about 12:45 PM, so I figured I had time to mill about downtown before meeting up the guys and chowing down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize if this chapter is a little slow going, but next chapter should be goooooood. I hope.


	14. Lunch at Hannah's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How will the gang react to the news?

Brendon’s POV

I was really happy to see Dallon’s text. If I could, I’d spend all day with him. He made me so incredibly happy, and considering what just happened with Erik, I really wanted to see him. I had never actually been to Hannah’s Diner, so I had to Google it. Luckily, it was close to my building. The pictures on Google made it look like a hole-in-the-wall kind of place, but I trust Dallon and the guys to get good food. I hopped in my POS car and headed over to meet them, and it only took me about five minutes to get there.

When I got to the restaurant, Dallon was the only one there. I was early though, so that was to be expected. He saw me from down the street and held out his arms warmly to embrace me. While still in the hug, he pulled me away only slightly to meet me face to face. “What do you think of PDA?” he asked simply.

“Why I’m quite the fan,” I replied cheekily. My response made Dallon smile and he proceeded to plant a gentle but caring kiss on my lips. God, how he made me feel was unlike anything I had ever known. I checked my watch to see how early I was exactly, and we had a whole ten minutes before the guys would show up. “Umm Dallon,” I said timidly. I had to explain to him what happened earlier.

“Yes darling dearest?” he replied with a smile. I sighed deeply, and he saw that I had something fairly serious to say. “Are you okay?” I nodded to reassure him. “I promise I’m okay, it’s just… I got a phone call earlier, and I need to explain to you something.”

I think I made it sound unlike what it was, because Dallon got really concerned and held my hands. I then proceeded to explain however, and he calmed some: “When I was very, very young, like eighteen, I met a guy named Erik, and we dated on and off for almost five years. I’m completely through with him because he treated me like shit, but he’s… resurfaced, and he might cause trouble.” Dallon’s face grew sympathetic.

“Oh well Brendon,” he said outright, “don’t you worry about it. If he causes you any trouble whatsoever, I will help you, okay?” All I could do is smile and say, “My knight in shining armor.” My comment certainly made us both giggle. “Damn right I am.”

Not a moment after, what was apparently Patrick’s car went zooming down the street and completely missed the turn for the restaurant. “Oh shit,” said Dallon. I looked to him to see what was the matter. “Should we tell them we’re dating?” he asked me, “I mean, I want them to know, but is now the right time?” 

I thought about it, and I wasn’t sure myself. “Well,” I pondered, “Maybe, we should just say that we’re gonna try and go for it, not make it super formal. That way it’s not like a big deal.” Dallon thought about what I said, and it seemed that he liked the idea. “Yeah,” he finally replied, “I think that’s good. Do you mind if I tell them?” I nodded happily.

Just then, Patrick’s car came back around the corner and slid into a parking spot extremely quickly. Gerard, in a pair of large, shiny sunglasses got out of the car first and pretended that the trip made him severely disoriented, staggering with every step. Patrick and Mikey got out at the same time. Mikey maintained that same, disinterested look, and Patrick seemed to have a spring in his step, but as if he was trying hard to be happy. Gerard came over to us and gave us both a big hug at the same time. Mikey waved slightly and Patrick just muttered a bitter, “Hey.”

“Shall we sit?” said Dallon as he invited us into the restaurant. It was indeed a hole in the wall, but it was charming its own unique way. The place had tons of black and white photos of this one blonde woman. In many of the photos, she was pictured with various golden age Hollywood hotshot actors, such as Gene Kelly, Clark Gable, and Bing Crosby. Clearly, Hannah, whoever she was, was quite the lady herself. 

We were shown to a booth in which Patrick and the brothers crammed in on one side and Dallon and I occupied the other side. Immediately, we received menus and water. After our waitress, whose name was Nancy, left us, Gerard immediately remarked, “I need to insert as many pancakes into my body as soon as possible.” I found that really funny for some reason.

Dallon cleared his throat to grab everyone’s attention. “Guys, I want to tell you all something, something good.” At this sentence, Gerard was excited, Mikey was indifferent, and Patrick was confused. “So you all met Brendon a couple days ago, and you don’t know him very well, but I want him to be more involved with us, particularly, more involved in my life.” It was at this point that he grabbed my hand and had them sit on the table interlocked. “We are going to try dating. This isn’t a big deal, it’s just that I really like Brendon, and I want to see where this goes.”

“I CALLED IT!” yelled Gerard maybe too loudly, “AH! I knew it! I knew it! I said so in the car, didn’t I? As soon as you two left on Sunday, I knew there was something to it more. Oh I’m happy for you guys! So exciting!” Mikey’s face barely changed. “Cool” was literally all he said, but I guessed it was good. 

Then there was Patrick. I could sense the disapproval from across the table. It suddenly fell silent, and he wouldn’t look at either of us, just downward. The tension could be cut with a knife. I even think our waitress didn’t come over for a while because of the tension. Out of nowhere, he looked up with a smile and said, “I’m happy for you guys. Could you excuse me?” He then proceeded to make the Way brothers get out of his way so that he could speed walk to the bathroom in the back of the restaurant. It was safe to say that it was the weirdest reaction ever.

I leaned forward and asked Gerard, “Is he okay?” Gerard shrugged. “I really don’t know,” he said simply, “When I suggested that you come to lunch with us, he wasn’t thrilled, but he didn’t fight me. Then in the car, when I said I thought you guys would make a cute couple, he got really weirdly, uncomfortably silent and drove SUPER fast. I’m still ninety-five percent sure that he ran a red light. I don’t know why he’s weird about you.” I looked at Dallon, and all he could do was shrug with a concerned look. 

Not a second later did Patrick start walking back with what appeared to be a genuine smile on his face. “Sorry about that, my contacts were bothering me. I really am happy for you guys and I hope it goes well for you both.” His sentiment seemed genuine enough, but I couldn’t help but feel there was something behind that. Dallon looked at me with a face that read, “I’ll figure it out later.”

When Nancy returned to our table, Gerard was so ready. “Please get me all of your pancakes and coffee… I’m not even kidding.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm noticing a pattern. When I start writing, I can't stop. This leads to two chapters in one day. I'm not gonna complain though. Except I'm not doing homework..... oops.


	15. Confusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What the hecking is going on with everyone?

Dallon’s POV

I was really glad that the news went over as well as it did. It wasn’t perfect, but I was definitely pleased. I was especially concerned about Patrick’s response, and although I knew I had to talk to him, I appreciated him acting cool during lunch. He was cool to the extent that he didn’t freak out that much when we told him, but throughout the remainder of the lunch, I would catch him staring at Brendon until he saw that I had noticed. Something was very weird, but I would figure it out.

After lunch, Brendon said goodbye to the guys and gave me a quick peck, whispering, “Call me, won’t you?” I whispered back, “Of course darling. Tonight.” That made him smile like an idiot, and he planted another quick kiss before he skipped off to his car. Gerard came up behind me without my knowing, and it scared the living shit out of me.

“Look at him go,” he said, startling me. “Holy fuck dude, that was frightening.” Gerard just shrugged nonchalantly and replied, “I have that effect on people.” He and Mikey walked over to Patrick’s car. Patrick was taking forever in the bathroom for God knows what, but when he finally emerged outside, I grabbed him by the arm and pulled him aside.

“What the fuck?” he asked annoyed. I sighed and asked, “Wanna explain to me why you reacted the way you did? We’ve been over this. You have no reason to be mean to him or hate this. This means a lot to me, and if you do anything to ruin this-“ 

“Hey, I told you I’m supportive, I’m working on it, okay? Jesus Christ, just chill man,” he let out exasperatedly. “Okay, okay, so I’m not Brendon’s biggest fan, but…” he trailed off, but when he eventually continued to speak, it seemed sad. “I’m happy for you. Because if you’re happy, then I’m happy.” He then started walking away. 

“Hey wait!” I called after him. “That’s all I have to say, later Dallon,” he called back without turning around. He then got in the car and sped off with the Ways. I had no idea what was going through his head. I had never seen him like this before, and I had known him since freshman year of high school. I thought I knew Patrick better than anyone, but I guess I didn’t. I needed to figure it out, even if it was the last thing I do because I couldn’t risk losing him, my friend.

I grabbed the next bus home, and when I got back, I properly flopped onto the couch. I was finally getting over my minor concussion, but I felt inexplicably tired. My wrist still ached here and there, but I was just glad that it wasn’t getting worse. As I covered my face with a pillow, I got a phone call. It was from my dad. 

Now the thing is that I never really talked to my dad. When I was a kid, we never did anything remotely close to father/son bonding. My mother forced us to go to lunch every Saturday for about an hour, and I always sat across from him in a shitty diner while he sipped coffee and got me whatever I wanted. He never said anything to me during those lunches, and I never bothered to talk to him. It’s unreasonable to say that he wasn’t a real father figure because he came to little league games and shit like other dads do, but he never was connected to me. Other kids talked about going to football games and shit with their dads and how much fun it was, and I never understood why other boys were so buddy-buddy with their dads. It was foreign to me. My mother, being the huge Mormon she is, once tried to convert me to being straight by sending me to a “therapist” who would supposedly help. He concluded that the lack of my father’s presence in my life was the cause, which then resulted in those Saturday lunches. Oddly enough though, my dad wasn’t nearly as Mormon, and I don’t think he really could’ve cared. I actually do love my dad, don’t get me wrong, but it’s a weird sort of love. It’s more of a respect. He was a busy man, so he barely had enough time for his wife. I guess I got lost in the shuffle. At the same time though, I never really wanted to be super close. We respected each other’s privacy and lives enough to just leave each other alone. I admired him in a strange way. This phone call I was receiving however was most definitely strange.

“Hello?” I answered tentatively. “Dallon? It’s your dad,” he said simply, “Can we umm… chat? Y’know, for a second?” My dad wanted to actually talk to me? What could’ve possibly happened? “Yeah, I guess,” I replied. I honestly didn’t know what to expect. 

“Listen Dall, I just wanna talk and have you listen, and please don’t fight me on this,” he started, and after a long, heavy sigh, he continued: “Your mother hasn’t been herself since you’ve last spoken to her. She misses you terribly, and she can’t stand the thought of you never seeing or talking to us again. She does love you, I want you to know, but she’s just… her, y’know? Y’know, when you told us, y’know, about yourself, I personally was just shocked. I never thought about that as a possibility, and because we never talked, I never expected you to tell me anything like that outright. Although I don’t know much about it, I know it’s your life, so you should do whatever you want. Your mother however, is, well, more devout shall we say, y’know. Is there anything you can do? Just to salvage that relationship? She’s gone nuts, Dall. I don’t know what to do. You’re all she talks about.”

I really was speechless. I had never in my life had my dad reach out to me like this, and I didn’t know if I liked it or not. “Umm,” I stumbled at first, but I then said, “Dad, I don’t know either. I just want to be happy, and she’s ruining it for me. I’m willing to sacrifice financial security in order to be happy. And I can’t pretend to be something I’m not.”

“Dall,” he interjected, “Are you sure you can’t just like convince her of something else? She could be literally the only one to ever think it. I’d even make sure that no one else finds out from her blabbermouth. Please, I know I don’t deserve it, but for my sake please just, like, convince her you have a girlfriend or some shit, y’know?”

I thought about his request, and honestly, I really could have it benefit me both ways. Happy mom AND happy Dallon. My dad was right; he doesn’t deserve it, but he is my dad, and I couldn’t help but feel like helping him. It was the closest thing to connection with him, and it was oddly nice.

“I know of only one girl who can help me out,” I replied to him. “Oh Dall, thank you so much. You’re the man. I hope to see you soon buddy, and… maybe, y’know, if you wanted, we could make up for lost time. I think it’s about time.”

“Sure Dad,” I affirmed simply. Again, I was confused, but not unpleased by his actions or his proposal. “Okay buddy, see ya.” With that, he hung up. I guessed that I had to talk to Brenda at work about our new possible “relationship”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More to come.... ;)


	16. Lunch Date?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dallon is awkward when he brings Brendon lunch at work.

Brendon’s POV

On Wednesday morning, I got a call from Dallon. Unfortunately, I was brushing my teeth, so I had to stumble over a variety of things in my bathroom to reach my phone while still having toothpaste in my mouth. Fortunately, I was able to answer before it went to voicemail. “Hewwoh?” I answered with my toothbrush sticking straight out from my mouth.

“Hi darling, you all right?” I spit into the sink and spoke normally: “Yes, just brushing my teeth is all.” I heard a little giggle from the other end. “Well I wanted to ask if I could bring you lunch to your work! I have to go to this dinner with my parents tonight, but I really wanted to see you today.” Dinner with his parents?

“Dinner with your parents? Dall, are you in trouble?” He sighed. “Well, I need to reconcile with them, and I think I’ve figured out how. I want to tell you all about it, but I don’t have enough time. At least, not now. I want to visit you so that I can see you at least once today. Is that okay?”

I tripped over my coffee table as I meandered into my living room. “AGH! Oh! Umm, yeah, that would be great. Are you taking requests?” I definitely could’ve gone for a huge sandwich. “Yeah!” he replied, “I can either make you something or pick something up for you! Either way is good.” Suddenly Dallon broke out into song: “Anyway you want it, that’s the way you need it! Anyway you want it…” Of course, he included the guitar riff. 

“Well, a chicken salad sandwich from Potbelly sounds awfully appealing, y’know,” I playfully suggested. “Anything you want it, that’s the way you need it!” he said happily, “I’ll come at noon, okay?” I affirmed the time and said my goodbyes. He was so thoughtful, and it had made my morning. 

As I was trying to make my way out the door, my phone bleeped, notifying me that someone had tagged me in a picture on Instagram. It was Eric. The picture was from seven years ago back in Vegas. My god, the neon green outfit was NOT a good look, and I should not have held up peace signs. He captioned it as “#tbt to a good time @brendonurie”, and it already had fifty-three likes after thirty minutes. Someone I hadn’t talked to in five years commented, “OMGGG!!! Eric and Beebs! We need to reconnect!!!” God, I wanted to vomit. What had been a good morning turned sour almost instantly. I hated myself for letting it get to me, but I couldn’t help me. The past haunted me to say the least. After having reported the picture, I flopped into my car and forced myself to forget it. Maybe my driving that morning was kinda violent than usual…

I arrived to work earlier than expected since I may or may not have been speeding to get there. When I got to my office, I got a text from Dallon, to which I happily replied.

“ummmm, so idk where your office actually is so…. can you tell me pls? thanks babe”  
“it’s off of Northwest Ave, the Manning building”  
“ok cool, <3”

I guess Spencer could sense whatever I was doing, because not a moment later, his head peaked over my cubicle. “Why are you smiling at your phone… I can feel it over here.” Spence could be a little creepy at times. “I got a nice text, do you mind? Or do you have to always be in everyone’s business?” He shrugged as he descended back into his seat. “I have nothing better to do at this damn office.”

Suddenly, my cell phone rang, and of fucking course, it had to ring the second Frank strolled by desk. “Hey Urie, no cell phones, get rid of it,” he remarked coolly before sauntering away. Once he was out of earshot, I mocked his voice to myself. When I went to turn my phone on silent, I saw that it was Eric calling me. “God damnit!” I threw my phone into the trashcan because I was so mad. Once it stopped vibrating, I was finally able to take a breath. Not a moment later, there was a voicemail just waiting for me. I guess Spencer witnessed my freak-out, so he came over and pulled the phone out of the trashcan. He knew about Eric because I spilled everything to him one night while super drunk. So, Spencer saw the notifications and just sighed as he placed the phone back on the desk. “You realize you can block him, right?”

“You know I don’t know a damn thing about this phone. I’m like eighty years old, remember?” Spencer made a face and grabbed the phone. I don’t know what he did, but when he was done, the number was blocked. “Now, don’t you let yourself listen to that voicemail. Got it?” I nodded and slumped back onto my desk face first. I just had to distract myself for a few hours until Dallon got here.

It felt like a million years. I was working, but at a pace a lot slower than usual. Frank paraded in and out of the cubicles and I only worked at normal pace when he could see what I was doing. I would even stop working occasionally and play flash games just to be distracted. But finally, he arrived, and right on time.

There he was: the tall noodle that was my boyfriend. God, I was so happy to see him. He wore an adorable sweater with his usual black jeans and boots, and I just wanted to squeeze him and hug him, especially after this morning’s ordeal. I could see him come into the office from my desk. He stopped at the receptionist’s desk to ask her where I was, and she pointed him in my direction. The second his eyes met mine, he smiled. He walked quickly down the hallway to my cubicle, and of course, on the way, he nearly ran into one of my coworkers. But he made it unscathed and that’s all that mattered.

“Hi!” he greeted me cheerily. “Hi darling,” I replied, “Thank you so much for this, you have no idea how much I needed it.” He smirked and squatted so he could be eye to eye with me in my desk chair. “Well, darling, I’m happy to do this when I can. I will take advantage of all opportunities I have to see you.”

I then proceeded to make barfing noises because he was so cheesy. We both laughed because it was really cheesy and because he knew I loved it anyway. He handed me my sandwich, and I immediately unwrapped it and started consuming it at my desk. 

“Hey Bren, did you take care of that stack of paperwo-“ Spencer stopped short in his sentence when he saw Dallon crouched in my cubicle. “Dallon, it’s been a while,” was all he said after what felt like an eternity of silence. I couldn’t tell if he was concerned, confused, worried, or a combination of all three. He glanced at me for a moment before looking back at Dallon. 

“Spencer Smith,” said Dallon, standing, “It has been… like high school.” Dallon seemed suddenly uncomfortable. He fumbled with the bag in his hand nervously as he kept talking. “You seem well,” he blurted out after another unbearable minute of silence.

“You’ve cleaned up quite a bit yourself it seems… right?” Spencer prodded. Clearly, Dallon was incredibly uncomfortable with this situation, and he froze up. “Right, Dallon?” He leant down, kissed my cheek, and left in a hurry. “I’ll call you later!” he called from down the hall. 

“Wait Dallon!” But he was gone. In a flash, he just ran away. I turned to face Spencer and stood up. “Okay man, what the actual fuck was that? How dare you? You scared him!” Spencer shrugged nonchalantly. “If you wanna know, it’s not my place to tell. You ask him about it.” And with that, he returned to his cubicle. What the hell happened while Dallon was in high school?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn! It's been a while. I apologize. Life is cray. I guess all I can really say is that there's more to come...


	17. Lying to Mom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dallon does what he can to repair his relationship with his mom.

Dallon’s POV

I had to get out of there. I was not facing Spencer in front of Brendon. Maybe one day I could explain what happened to him. God, it was too much to handle. I felt really bad about rushing out like that, so I sent a quick text to apologize to him because what I did was just weird.

“hi babe, i’m sorry fur that, i’ll explain later, dinner @ mine 2morrow?”

Waiting felt like an eternity, but finally I heard the ding.

“it’s okay, as long as you’re okay, i’ll see you then :*”  
“i pormise i’m ok, thank you doll <3”

By the time I got home, it was only early afternoon, but I had to start getting ready for my parents’ dinner. I had to be there at 4:30 PM for appetizers. God, my mother loved to make such a production. With public transport, it would take me an eternity to get there too, so I only had so much time to become the ideal heterosexual son they, or at the very least she, expected to see. A shower, a meticulous hair styling session, a mouthwash gargle, a moment of struggle in finding clean underwear, a swipe of deodorant, and a casual Oxford later, I was ready to leave. 

Because the metro was running late, I arrived at my parents at 4:47 PM, and because of it, I expected my dad to rip me a new asshole. “Son, being late is like flipping the bird to the host, so just… be on time.” However, when he answered the door, which is odd since Mom always did, he looked relieved. He even hugged me as I stepped inside. “Thank you for this, it means so much to me and her,” he uttered quietly to me. 

Not a moment later, I heard the clicking of my mom’s heels on the hardwood floor. “Is that-“ She made a ridiculous flailing gesture with her arms and then hurried over to hug me. “Oh Dallon, thank the Lord you’re here safe. I was so worried! What took you so long dearest? Awww, honey, you’ve hurt your wrist. Come, come, I have shrimp cocktail for you.” 

Without a chance to argue, she dragged me to the living room. I sat in an oversized armchair while my mom and dad sat on the sofa beside me. A quick glance around the room reminded me why I redecorated when the house was left to me. It was just incredibly uncomfortable being surrounded by countless family photos and that one painting I always referred to as “Creepy Jesus”. I sat there for a solid minute while my mom willed me to eat a shrimp. When I finally did, she let out a breath as if she had been holding it in for years. “Dallon sweetie,” she began in that irritating tone, “Your father told me that you had a tête-à-tête over the phone, and now you’ve decided to… ahem… change your ways. Is that so?”

My dad looked pained. He just wanted this to go well. Maybe too much so. “Well, umm, I have a… girl… I’m interested in.” My mother looked overjoyed. “Dallon, that’s just fantastic! Who is she? Is she a good girl?” My dad put a hand on my mom’s shoulder to reel her in. I cleared my throat of truth and phlegm, and began telling her this made up story.

“Yeah, I met the girl you actually mentioned before, Brenda. I saw her at a record shop. She was lovely, and we hit it off. I’m… uh… going to ask her… out.” Mom made some noise, which I guess was a scream. “Oh this is a wonderful day! I’m going to get the good bottle of wine!” She ran off in a flash to the wine cellar.

My dad sighed with great relief. “Thank you, son,” he said quietly, “for that. You could have easily said no, but I appreciate this more than you know.” I shrugged as I leaned back into the chair. “As long as she doesn’t bother me anymore, I’m good.” A ding rang out from the kitchen, and my mother’s voice faintly ran out, “Rolls are ready!”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When I woke up the next day after that painful dinner, I had to book it to work. Naturally, I overslept, but thankfully, it wasn’t so bad. I managed to catch the bus right on time and arrived just minutes before my first shift ever. Brenda gave me a hard time as I ran through the door. “AND with minutes to spare, Dallon ‘the Giraffe’ Weekes has made it to work on time.” I gave her a look that clearly indicated how much I absolutely loved being called “the Giraffe”. 

I caught my breath while leaning on a shelf of classic rock CDs, and after wiping the minimal sweat from my forehead, I asked Brenda the fateful question: “Brenda, will you be my girlfriend?”

It was clear that Brenda was confused. Her face scrunched up and she let out a long-lasting umm. “Dallon, we’ve been over this. I’m gay. And so are you.” She even laughed at how ridiculous my proposal was. “Okay, I know what you’re thinking, but hear me out,” I began explaining, “I had to make up with my mom, otherwise it would’ve just erupted into utter chaos. So, I told her that I was going to ask you out. If you could pretend to be my girlfriend for just a little while and come to Thanksgiving or something, maybe, just maybe, I can reconcile with her. She would be the only one who doesn’t know the truth. Even my dad knows. And you wouldn’t have to kiss or anything. I promise you that. What do you think?”

My proposal was certainly odd and not rather articulate, but I tried to explain it as best as I could. “Well,” she finally said after a minute of silence, “It’s not a horrible idea, besides the whole lying and such… It could help me too because she would stop pestering me about you… Eh, sure, why not? It could be fun. I haven’t pretended to be straight in years.”

“Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you so so so much,” I blurted out, “Seriously, this means a lot.” Brenda giggled. “No problem, but quick question: does your boyfriend know about this… arrangement?” she asked. I honestly didn’t think about it. Would Brendon be okay with it? Would he understand? This was a trickier than expected. “Uh well,” I stuttered, “I think he’ll be okay with it. I’ll explain to him tonight and you can meet him if you want, so that it’s all good… and stuff.”

“I would love that! We could get lunch sometime. AND you HAVE to meet my girlfriend. She’s… a little rough around the edges, but she’s actually a sweetheart. Oh this is gonna be fun! I can’t wait.” I’m so glad she was on board because it would help me so much.

“You are a godsend, Brenda,” I said, “How could I ever repay you?” She smirked, and replied, “Well, you can pay for dinner on our double date, and hey, I thought you weren’t Mormon anymore…”

“Old habits die hard I guess,” I shrugged. Suddenly, an all too familiar knocking sound erupted from outside, “Hey BRENDAAAH!” Brenda didn’t even look up to reply to Dave. “PULL THE DOOR, DAVE!” After having solved his problem, Dave entered happily into the store for his shift. 

“So guys, what’s on deck today?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the wait, i promise there's more to come :*


	18. Reconciliation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dallon and Brendon have a lot to talk about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long since an update. I had a hard time figuring out where I wanted this to go, but I'm ready to start again. Enjoy!

Brendon’s POV

 

The monotony of work was really getting to me this particular Thursday especially knowing that Dallon was preparing me a lovely dinner for two. It seemed like every time I looked at the clock on the opposite wall of the office, it hadn’t moved in what felt like forever. But finally, the moment came. 5:30 PM. Freedom from the office and my cue to skedaddle my way over to Dallon’s house.

 

I was still concerned about what had happened the day before. For someone like Dallon, a too-cool-for-you kinda guy to be scared simply at the appearance of a former classmate, something pretty serious had to have happened, right? I knew that our relationship was still early and that there’s a lot we hadn’t told each other, but it just seemed pretty odd for that to happen.

 

By the time I was clamoring into my car, I knew I wouldn’t have enough time to go home before going to Dallon’s so I zoomed straight to his house, hoping that I wouldn’t have to stay in my work clothes too much longer. When I pulled up to the house, it was dark. The whole house was dark. Was he home? Did he forget? I walked tentatively up to the house because I was so unsure.

 

After knocking three times, I heard a “Coming!” from behind the door. Not a moment later, it flung open with a happy Dallon waiting behind. “Hi,” I said hesitantly, “Are you okay?”

 

“Yeah of course,” he replied smilingly, “Why wouldn’t I be?” I couldn’t help but giggle. “Are you completely in the dark in there?” Dallon turned to look behind him. “Oh shit yeah,” he said, “I didn’t even notice how dark it got. I was reading a recipe off my computer which illuminated the kitchen just enough I guess.”

 

“You are a madman, Dallon Weekes,” I said jokingly. “I know,” he said simply in reply, “Won’t you come in?” He bowed and made a large gesture with his arm in order to allow me in. He really was the silliest guy I knew, but it was endearing to say the least.

 

As we entered the kitchen, I flipped on the overhead light so he could finally see properly. Once getting settled, I asked, “Hey Dall? Could I borrow sweatpants or something more comfy than this?” He looked over his shoulder smiling and said, “Absolutely! I recommend my GW sweatshirt.”

 

I scurried upstairs and not two minutes later, I was descending in an oversized George Washington University Sweatshirt and oversized black sweatpants. They were the comfiest clothes ever. “Hey you look pretty good!” Dallon exclaimed upon seeing me in his clothes. “You should wear that ensemble more often.”

 

“Maybe I will,” I replied cheekily. As I resumed my seat on the breakfast bar stool, the overwhelming good smells infiltrated my nose. “Oh my god Dallon, that smells amazing,” I let out. “Lucky for you,” he said while still cooking, “It’s nearly done.”

 

With his back still turned he kept cooking until finally he turned around with two plates of food. “Martha Stewart’s Chicken and Pesto Pasta... made by Dallon,” he pronounced. I gave a little golf clap as he came around to sit next to me. It really was some of the best pasta I had ever eaten. I mean, it had been a while since I’ve had a home cooked meal like this, but this was special.

 

“Thank you Dallon, with all my heart,” I said while shoveling it into my mouth as fast as I could. He laughed gently and replied, “Anything to make you this happy.”

 

Suddenly my food was gone, and my plate was clean. I had eaten faster than I had ever done; I guess I was hungrier than I thought. I finally settled and took a deep breath before starting that sensitive conversation.

 

“Dallon,” I said gently. “Yes, love?” he said looking up from his dish. Oh god, how was I going to do this? “What happened yesterday? At my office? Are you okay?” Dallon sighed deeply and put down his fork. It was a moment before he turned to me fully.

 

“It was...” he started. He paused again before speaking. “Quite frankly, I had no idea that you knew Spencer. It was really surprising. It really has been since high school since he’s seen me. And things were way different then. I was not the same person by any means, and he saw a lot of... shitty teenager stuff I did. He tried to help me stop being... an asshole, and I didn’t listen until it became a problem for me. I was really just surprised to see him and it startled me. I’m sorry, I didn’t know how to handle it.”

 

That was not what I expected. I knew something must have happened, but I didn’t realize. I did feel like the way Dallon said everything was vague and that he didn’t really want to talk about it, but if this was all he could provide, I had to accept that.

 

“I’m not going to ask you to dig any deeper until you want to or until you’re ready to. I get that confrontation is scary. I mean, I already told you about Eric.” Dallon seemed surprised at my response. “Wow,” he said, “I really appreciate it. I mean, that brought up a lot of stuff I wasn’t ready to address at the time. I think eventually I can talk more about it and even talk to Spencer, but right now... and then, I’m just not ready for that.”

 

“I understand,” I replied. “I finally feel like I have my life together and I just want to let things really settle into place before I think about that,” he continued. I just nodded and leaned up very high to kiss his forehead. “It’s okay babe,” I said reassuringly, “It will be okay.”

 

A happy and appreciative Dallon stood up to hug me tightly. God, his embrace was so warm, and I felt the trust we shared just by his touch. When we finally broke, Dallon asked me to sit with him on the couch, to which I happily obliged.

 

“I guess it’s my turn to ask you something,” Dallon said sort of suddenly. “Oh?” I replied. He then nodded before taking a deep breath. “So the dinner with my parents...” he started, but I immediately cut him off. “Oh! Tell me! How did that go?”

 

He took another deep breath. “I hate this, but here we go,” he said. Uh oh. I remained silent to hear what he had to say. “I went over to my parents’ to reconcile. Before that though, my dad called me. This was kinda a big deal because my dad and I never really had a substantial relationship. What he told me was that I had to do something to calm my mother, who apparently wouldn’t stop worrying about me. He told me that the only way for her to stop was to... oh god, I hate to say this... pretend I’m straight.”

 

I guess he could tell that I wasn’t exactly happy at what he said because he immediately scooted in closer and held my hand.

 

“Don’t get me wrong, I really don’t like denying who I am. I mean, that would seem obvious, but she is literally the only person that has to be convinced that I’m something I’m not. Frankly, she’s my mother, and while she’s annoying at best, I love her, and I can’t stand seeing her in a tizzy over this. And my Dad, even if he’s been distant, I don’t want him to have to see my mother be upset always. For the sake of making my mother happy, she just needs to believe that I’m dating woman.” I recoiled slightly when he said that but he only leaned in closer. “My friend Brenda is the biggest lesbian you’ll ever meet... she might even be gayer than me, and she could be my fake girlfriend for like... a couple weeks, just long enough for her to have dinner with my parents, and then it’ll be over. And it’s not like I’d let her give me money ever again because I have my own job and will be independent from now on for forever, but I can’t make my family unhappy. Brendon, I care so much about you. I really do, I have never cared about someone like this until I met you. I can’t imagine how much you must hate this, but I worry that if I don’t do this, our relationship could fall apart. What if my family issues kept me from being a good boyfriend? I couldn’t risk that.”

 

“I don’t like this,” I said abruptly. I noticed that I was trembling. “You’re going to _lie_ to your _family_ about who you are? And further more, pretend to be dating someone other than me? Is that supposed to make me feel good? I hate this, I really do.” I stood up.

 

“Brendon wait,” Dallon said while standing and grabbing my hand. I couldn’t move. I didn’t realize I was tearing up until Dallon wiped one away from my cheek. “My god, I’ve really done it now,” he said to the sky, “I’ve fucked up. I’ve made my beautiful boyfriend upset, and I don’t know how to fix it.” He turned to face me. “God Brendon,” he said, “I really care about you... If it really makes you upset, I won’t do it. I just can’t stand seeing you unhappy... Damnit, I’ll call her right now.”

 

He let go of my hand and went for his cellphone. I ran over to stop him. “Dallon no,” I cut him off. “Don’t call her,” I said softly. I paused before I spoke again. I really did not like this arrangement, but I couldn’t let him do that. “Dallon, I don’t love this, I really don’t, but you can’t let me stop you from repairing your family. If this is the only way you know how, I will let you do this.” I sighed. “God knows I wish I could repair _my_ family... Dallon...” I looked up at him in the eyes. “It’s okay... and it will be okay.”

 

“Are you 100% sure? Because I really care about what you think.” I nodded. He hugged me again like moments before. This embrace was different, but I felt his warmth. I hoped he felt my trust in him.

 

“Hey,” he said pulling away from the minutes long embrace, “I have an idea. C’mon.” He took me by the hand over to his record player. He leant down and flipped through a few records before pulling out an Elvis greatest hits record. He placed in on the record player, and music gently flowed from his speakers. It was “Can’t Help Falling in Love”.

 

Without a word, he looked at me, smiled, and pulled my by my hand to the middle of his living room. Before I knew it, he pulled me in close and we slowly danced, together, to the silky voice of the king. Eventually, our bodies melded, gently swaying together to the sweet music. I rested my head on his heart, and I could even hear it beat. Softly, after a few minutes, I spoke.

 

“It will be okay,” was all I whispered. Dallon leaned down slightly to whisper into my ear, “I know it will be.”

 

With that, we did not speak anymore as we continued to move, together, holding one another, to the famous lyrics.

 

_Take my hand_

_Take my whole life, too_

_For I can’t help falling in love with you_

_For I can’t help falling in love with you..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was a lengthy one. I may or not be making up for how much time it's been... As always, there will be more to come...


End file.
